Heroes and Villains
by dudelove85
Summary: Six months after the fall of Grumm, B Squad are struggling to find a suitable Green Ranger for their team. To their shock SPD Command installs Charlie, the disgraced former leader of A Squad, into their team. What reasons do Supreme Command have for releasing a known traitor? Can B Squad trust their new member or will they be torn apart by suspicion? Part of the Hexagon series.
1. Green Eyed Monster

_Chapter 1 – Green Eyed Monster_

 _February 5 2026_

Newtech City, a bustling metropolis on the East Coast of the United States, purpose built at the start of the twenty first century to ease the growing population of the other major cities on the Eastern Seaboard. The city was host to the International Immigration Agency, or INTIMA, who processed any immigrants and refugees from the galaxy who wanted to make Earth their new home. The first fifteen years of the century were a turbulent time, filled with anti-alien and anti-immigrant sentiment that threatened to tear the country apart. Tensions reached their height during 2014, the year of the Armada's invasion. Anger towards the invaders was directed towards those aliens who couldn't fight back leading to some of the worst levels of hate crime ever reported. Right at the heart of this maelstrom of anger was Newtech City.

Just when it looked like a bill would be passed evicting all aliens from the country, a group of former Power Rangers banded together to create an intergalactic police force to help control the situation. Space Patrol Delta, known locally as SPD, was born. With the Armada defeated SPD was at the forefront of human/alien relations, restoring order to the city and to the country as a whole. Branches of SPD began to open up across the globe and in other parts of the galaxy. In just ten years SPD had become one of the most powerful agencies in the Milky Way.

It was probably a good thing because 2025 saw another invasion, this time by Emperor Grumm and the Troobian Empire. Initially held at bay by SPD's A-Squad, things took a surprising turn when the elite Ranger squadron of the force disappeared, leaving the unknown and untested B-Squad to pick up the pieces. The motley crew consisting of three raw cadets and two rookies defeated Grumm's forces, with a little help from their commanding officer and a visitor from the future.

Six months had passed since Grumm's invasion and life was relatively peaceful in Newtech. 2026 so far had been the lowest recorded rate of alien race crime since ever. With B-Squad now able to focus their attentions on non-alien related offenses, crime in the city was also dropping. On the surface things appeared to be rosy for the elite police force in the city. Leader of the squad, Sky Tate, was a common face on news bulletins. The other three permanent members of the team, second in command Bridge Carson, Level 4 officer Elizabeth 'Z' Delgardo and Level 5 officer Sydney Drew were well like and respected amongst the citizen of Newtech, owing much to their defeat of Grumm the previous year.

The problem for B Squad was the Level 3 position. Since the promotion of Sky and Bridge to their current ranks the team had gone through several different members. None of them remained on the team long though for a number of different reasons. A few of them were dismissed by Sky for failing to meet expectations and a couple left due to disputes with the other members of B Squad. There was even one who fell victim to a rather bizarre gardening accident, the details of which were kept confidential for the benefit of everyone.

It was late in the afternoon when Sky and Bridge parked their Delta Runner in the parking lot. They had just finished a quiet patrol of the city where the worst offence committed was littering and a couple of minor traffic offences. The blue ranger closed the door on the cruiser and stretched his back, "Man I am going to sleep well tonight". His squad leader said nothing in response and merely raised an eyebrow, "Come on don't look at me like that, I said I was sorry", Bridge pleaded.

"Three hours", Sky grunted, "that's how long you kept me awake for with your babbling in the middle of the night". Despite his promotion to red ranger, Sky hadn't up the private quarters that came with his rank. Publicly he said that he wanted to keep an eye on the eccentric blue ranger who was well known for veering off on a tangent at a moment's notice. Secretly the rest of B Squad knew that Sky actually enjoyed Bridge's company, to an extent at least, "You must be the only person who dreams about toast", Sky said as the pair entered the elevator, "can't you dream about women like a normal person".

"Maybe, never really tried to focus on one particular thing whilst I'm sleeping before", the blue ranger began to ramble, "could be an interesting experiment. I mean if I think about toast before I fall asleep then will I dream about it but then again if I try to avoid thinking about it then it means I'm thinking about it which will-".

"Bridge", Sky pinched his nose, "just, be quiet". The blue ranger nodded and didn't look remotely offended, he was used to the regular scolding's from Sky and the rest of the team. The pair rode the elevator up to the command level silently but the moment the doors opened, they were greeted by the other members of their team, "Z, Syd, fancy meeting you here".

The female members of B Squad had a solemn look on their face and in the yellow ranger's hand was a piece of paper, "I think you're gonna want to read this", Z said and handed the piece of paper over.

"Cool actual paper", Bridge commented, peering over Sky's shoulder, "and it's from Elliott, didn't know supplies kept paper any more". Elliott was the latest Level 3 officer to be assigned to the team. The rookies were assigned the colour green but they weren't automatically granted the powers of the green ranger. They had to pass their probationary period with the squad first but so far the longest anyone had lasted was three weeks.

As Sky read the note his face began to darken until by the end he was sporting an impressive scowl, "Wow he really didn't like you", Bridge chuckled, slapping his squad leader on the back, "he's also crammed an impressive number of swear words into one sentence".

"This isn't funny Bridge", Sky snapped and crumbled the note in his hand, "Cruger's already been on my back about how quickly we're getting through probie officers". He shook his head a couple of times, "I'm not that hard to get along with am I?" he asked his team, who were sharing a nervous look with each other, "I know I can be a hard ass but that's only because I want you to be the best".

Bridge and Z quickly looked towards Syd, it was common knowledge that the red ranger had a soft spot for the pink ranger. Any time they wanted to break some bad news to their squad leader, the blue and yellow rangers normally delegated that job to Syd, "Well you see-".

Before Syd could finish her sentence, the familiar face of SPD's head scientist Kat Manx popped out of the command room door, "B Squad, Commander Cruger wants a word", she called out before stepping back into the room.

A sudden feeling of dread washed over B Squad, especially Sky. He tucked the scribbled note from the now former member of his team into his pocket and straightened out his uniform, "Better get this over with", he mumbled to his team. He led the way down the corridor and into the command room where SPD's commanding officer Anubis Cruger was waiting for them. As B Squad saluted their commander, they couldn't help but notice the stern look plastered all over his canine features. They were used to angry glares from Commander Cruger but this one was fiercer than ever, "Commander", Sky began nervously, "I assume you've heard about Elliott".

"Yes I have", Cruger replied with a slow, deliberate tone, "I had high hopes that Cadet Manning would be the one to finally make the Level 3 officers spot his own". He paused and glared accusingly at Sky, "Seems I was wrong".

"You've seen his resignation notice then?" Sky gulped.

Cruger nodded, "It was an impressive use of language, especially his inventive combination of curse words". From her position in the corner, Kat let out a little snigger before regaining her stoic image, "Something to add Miss Manx?"

"Nothing at all Sir", Kat replied, keeping her attention firmly fixed on a spot on the wall behind the rest of B Squad.

"Good because this isn't a laughing matter", Cruger barked, "our failure to fill the vacant green ranger role hasn't gone unnoticed. We've gone through eleven of SPD's most promising recruits in just over six months. Coupled with our Level 4 and 5 officers refusal to accept a promotion", he turned his glare on Z and Syd, "is causing SPD Command a headache".

"Indeed it is Command Cruger", a voice called out. Cruger stepped aside to reveal a fair skinned man in his late forties. He was dressed in the standard uniform of an SPD Supreme Commander but with the added addition of a red top underneath his dress jacket. The most striking feature of this Supreme Commander was his brown and blonde striped hair, although there was more than a few grey haired interloping, "Supreme Command doesn't like to interfere in the internal affairs of our bases but Newtech is the flagship facility. Having its primary defence squadron a member down is more than a little embarrassing".

B Squad gaped at the man for a few moments, a little star struck to be meeting someone who they had learned about in their Ranger history lessons. Once they had regained their composure, they saluted in unison, "Supreme Commander Andros", Sky stammered, "this is truly an honour".

Andros nodded slowly and gestured for them to stand at ease, "I've heard a lot of good things about you Officer Tate", Sky puffed out his chest with pride, "but I'm afraid this situation doesn't reflect well on you". The red ranger opened his mouth to defend himself but Andros held up his hand to silence the man, "I have taken the decision to assign someone to your team effective immediately. This order is not negotiable, nor is it up for further discussion after this conversation". B Squad looked bemused by this statement and even Commander Cruger stood up a little straighter, "This person comes with my full backing and I trust you will remember that". Andros straightened out his jacket and turned to Cruger, "Your new Level 3 will come with their briefing documents Commander. Bear in mind that you have been all the information I feel is pertinent at this point in time".

Now Cruger was really confused but he was used to getting cryptic orders from SPD Supreme Command all the time. He kept his face as neutral as he could and nodded stiffly, "Understood Supreme Commander".

"Good, I expect their progress report on my desk this time next week". Without further comment Andros terminated the video link, leaving a blank screen behind.

For a few moments everyone in the command room was too shocked to speak. It wasn't a surprise though when Bridge was the first one to pass comment, "Well that could've been worse", he said with his usual broad grin.

"How?" Sky began, "that was the verbal equivalent of a slap in the face". The red ranger was more than a little upset that his first conversation with the legendary Andros of KO-35 hadn't gone that well. He had spent many hours studying the famous red rangers from the past. Others had posters of famous sport stars or musicians on their walls but Sky's heroes were the previous red rangers. To be verbally dressed down by one of his idols was a little humiliating for the young man.

"That was a little mysterious though", Z commented, "who do you reckon he's assigned to the team?"

"Could be one of his kids", Syd added, "Vogue magazine ran a feature on his son and daughter a few years ago. If my math is any good, they should be approaching eighteen by now".

"Not quite", Cruger grumbled, "the oldest is seventeen I believe". The canine was nervous though, Andros's family weren't the only children of past Rangers. Some of them were adults now and if his memory served him correctly, a couple were training in SPD Academies. It would be a typical stunt by Supreme Command to restore confidence in SPD, assign a child of a former ranger to his team.

Sky took a couple of paces forward, leaning on the situation table for support, "Just what we need, babysitting duty for a new recruit".

"And that's the type of attitude that's seen us go through eleven rookies", Z rubbed her temples, the stubborn attitude of her superior officer gave her a headache sometimes.

"I can't help it if I want the best for this team", Sky snapped, "and I would at least like someone I know assigned to the team".

"Your wish is my command", a feminine voice called out from the doorway. The occupants turned around and laid their eyes on a woman dressed in one of B Squad's uniforms, only trimmed with green. She had black hair that was pulled back into a loose ponytail and a smug look on her face that suggested superiority over everyone in her presence. Everyone in the room stared silently at the woman although Sky's face was flipping between disbelief and anger, "A welcome back would be nice", she added, leaning against the doorframe casually in the process, "I would've liked a banner but I didn't want to push my luck".

Cruger growled at the woman out the side of his mouth, "Charlie Matthews", he hissed.

Charlie Matthews, disgraced red ranger of A Squad, smirked in response, "You were expecting someone else?"

 **TO BE CONTINUED**

 _ **A/N –**_ _Another new Hexagon related story, surely not. As this is set in the future and I don't want to spoil the ultimate fate of Hexagon and its players, there isn't actually much related to Hexagon in the majority of the story. Why do SPD now I hear you ask, well expect some "timey wimey" stuff to happen later which will bring us back in sync with the timeline just in time for Operation Overdrive in fact. As always reviews and comments always welcome._


	2. Strangers On The Shore

_Chapter 2 – Strangers On The Shore_

 _ **Previously**_ _\- "Your wish is my command", a feminine voice called out from the doorway. The occupants turned around and laid their eyes on a woman dressed in one of B Squad's uniforms, only trimmed with green. She had black hair that was pulled back into a loose ponytail and a smug look on her face that suggested superiority over everyone in her presence. Everyone in the room stared silently at the woman although Sky's face was flipping between disbelief and anger, "A welcome back would be nice", she added, leaning against the doorframe casually in the process, "I would've liked a banner but I didn't want to push my luck"._

 _Cruger growled at the woman out the side of his mouth, "Charlie Matthews", he hissed._

 _Charlie Matthews, disgraced red ranger of A Squad, smirked in response, "You were expecting someone else?"_

To say the atmosphere in the command room was frosty would be an understatement. Standing in front of B Squad, Commander Cruger and Doctor Manx was a woman that should've in containment. The trial of A Squad had yet to take place and to the team's knowledge, they were all still in a high security facility. Yet standing in front of them without a care in the world was one of the traitors and not just any of them, it was their squad leader.

A few more silent and tense moments followed with Charlie gradually looking more bored by the second. Eventually the former jailbird couldn't take the quiet no longer, "Whilst I wasn't expecting a triumphant welcome, I wasn't expecting the silent treatment either", she commented, pushing herself off the doorframe.

"What are you doing here Charlie", Sky hissed bitterly, "shouldn't you be rotting in containment with the other criminals".

Charlie clutched her hand against her chest, a look of mock offence flashing across her face, "Ouch Tate, now my feelings are hurt", but it was clear from her tone that she was anything but offended. The apparent new member of B Squad brushed between Sky and Syd and handed a tablet over to Cruger, "My orders, courtesy of Supreme Commander Andros", she added.

Cruger scanned his eyes over the tablet before switching his glance to Charlie. The dark haired woman smirked at the bemused expression on the Commanders face and beckoned with her eyes for him to read again. The Sirian growled under his breath and checked the orders again for some kind of loop hole. Finding none he placed the tablet onto his desk, "Welcome to the team Officer Matthews", he said with a flat tone.

"What that's it?" Syd cried in shock, "she tried to kill us yet she's welcomed back into SPD without any kind of consequences".

"Trust me Barbie, there are plenty of consequences", Charlie snorted. The pink ranger's mouth flapped open at the derogatory nickname her new team mate had used, "For example have you seen the accommodation they've put me up in? There's barely enough room to swing a cat, no offence Doctor", she directed that final comment towards Kat. SPD's chief scientist smiled tightly in response but chose to remain silent, not fully trusting herself to remain civil towards the former member of A Squad.

"Swing a cat", Bridge chuckled, completing ignoring the overriding atmosphere in the room, "I see what you did there". Everyone else apart from Charlie turned and glared at the blue ranger, "What, I found it funny", he shrugged.

Rolling her eyes at her new team mate, Charlie replied, "Looks like I've found myself a fan, maybe I should become a full time comedian".

"Yeah don't give up your day job", Z spat hatefully towards the newcomer. She hadn't forgotten how close Charlie had come to severely injuring her best friend and former red ranger Jack during their fight with A Squad.

Charlie turned slowly towards Z and gave her a quick, appraising glance. The yellow ranger couldn't read the look in the dark haired woman's eyes, it was a mixture between annoyance and admiration. Z wanted to return the look but something about the way Charlie was staring gave her the chills. There was something almost hypnotic about the dark haired woman's eyes that was forcing Z to maintain contact and it wasn't until a playful smirk flashed across Charlie's face that the yellow ranger finally regained her senses, "Take a picture Lizzy, it'll last longer".

"Don't call me that", Z quickly retort.

"Your name is Elizabeth right?" Charlie shrugged, "not saying anything that isn't true". Before Z could fire off another comment, Charlie turned sharply on her heel to indicate that she was finished with that particular conversation. Her attention instead returned to Cruger and Kat, "So what is the team currently working on at the moment?" she asked in a professional tone that was completely contrary to anything B Squad had heard come out of her mouth so far today.

The Commander and Manx shared an uneasy look with each other. The new addition had been thrust on them without any warning and as such, they were complete unprepared for a briefing. "The last few weeks we have been focusing on training the B Squad's series of recruits", Cruger began, "all long term assignments have been on hold until the team were back up to full strength".

"Not a problem with me around", Charlie sniffed arrogantly, "might need a few days to get myself back up to speed but nothing more".

"Yeah I'll be the judge of that", Sky snapped.

Charlie glanced over her shoulder and shot a dismissive look towards Sky, "Wow, someone's wearing their big boy pants today". The red ranger seethed but was prevented from snapping back by a gentle touch on the arm from Syd. Sky's shoulders relaxed but his temper was still bubbling under the surface, "Now isn't that cute", Charlie's continued, her eyes flicking between the red and pink ranger's, "little Schuyler's got himself a girlfriend".

That final comment broke all control that Sky had over his temper. Rage flashed across his eyes as memories of A Squad's betrayal boiled to the surface, "I've had just about enough of your attitude", the red ranger said and took a couple of aggressive steps towards Charlie.

"Tate! Matthews!" Cruger roared, "that enough from the pair of you". Sky took a couple of deep breathes to regain control over his emotions. That was especially difficult as Charlie continued to look unrepentant, in fact she almost looked amused by the confrontation. "This is a far from ideal situation but orders are orders", the Commander continued. "Officer Matthews, you will join B Squad for a routine training session. Once we've assessed your current skill level, we will discuss further assignments".

"Fine with me", Charlie shrugged, "trust me, I haven't lost that much of a step in the last few months".

"Training will commence at 0700", Kat added, "Boom and I will monitor your progress remotely".

Charlie looked slightly amused at the time Kat gave, "0700, really?"

"What's the matter, too early for you?" Sky teased.

"Not in the slightest", Charlie replied lightly before returning to Kat, "I think you've got something that belongs to me", she held out her hand expectantly. Doctor Manx sighed and reluctantly reached into the pocket of her lab coat. She stepped forward and handed over a Delta Morpher, although she was hesitant to release it from her grasp. A subtle nod from Cruger later and the feline scientist let go, "Been a long time since I was in green", Charlie added, looking at the device in her hand, "hang on, why is it chipped?" she pointed at the top of the morpher, which was slightly dented.

Bridge sheepishly raised his hand, "Yeah that's my bad, I dropped it once in the bathroom and it hit the toilet". Charlie looked down at the morpher in disgust, holding it between her fingers, "It didn't go in the water", the blue ranger added, like it made a difference to his admission.

"There is one thing I should point out", Cruger began in an attempt to dig Bridge out of the hole he had dug himself, "the morphing capability is locked until you've been signed off probation by the squad leader". An angry look flashed across Charlie's face but the Commander calmly handed her orders back to her, "I take it you didn't read that part of the Supreme Commander's request". B Squad wasn't sure but they could almost detect a hint of smugness from Cruger.

B Squad's newest recruit glanced once again at the datapad, trying to ignore the triumphant look that was now plastered across Sky's face, "That won't be a problem", Charlie thrust the pad back towards Cruger, "Sir", she added, almost as an afterthought. "If there's nothing else to discuss, I would like to get settled into my accommodation", she drawled the last word in disgust. She slowly backed away, giving Cruger a slightly mocking salute on the way out.

"Officer Matthews", Cruger barked just as she was about to leave the room, "you might be on this team at the request of the Supreme Commander but that doesn't excuse you from following protocol". Charlie grumbled under her breath before giving Cruger the proper SPD salute, "As this is your first day back I will let this slide but any future indiscretions will be marked in your probationary report". B Squad's newest member stared neutrally at Cruger before turning sharply and exiting the room.

Almost the second Charlie was out of earshot, a cacophony of noise assaulted the ears of Commander Cruger. The sensitive hearing of the canine Commander was pummelled with angry accusations and disbelieving comments from the remaining four members of B Squad. After a few seconds, Cruger couldn't take the noise any longer, "Quiet!" he roared, instantly silencing the room. "I know you're not happy about this and off the record, neither am I". He sighed deeply before continuing, "Unfortunately my hands are tied so we'd better hope that Officer Matthews slips up and gives us a reason to ship her back to containment".

There was a general murmuring of agreement from B Squad but the underlying tone was still of annoyance, "Now I suggest you go and get some rest, it's been a long day of patrolling for all of you", Cruger added with a fatherly tone. B Squad saluted their commanding officer before leaving the command room. It didn't take the hearing of a canine to recognise that his team were still unhappy with the orders, they were barely a few metres away before they began complaining loudly to each other.

Cruger took a seat behind his desk and wearily rubbed his eyes, "Supreme Command has come up with some ridiculous ideas before but this one takes the biscuit". He handed the tablet over to Kat who took it reluctantly, "See what you think", he said to the scientist.

"I thought these were for your eyes only", Kat replied with an amused smirk.

"Do as I say, not as I do Kat", Cruger said with a knowing smile. Kat tapped the tablet and quickly scanned the orders. Unlike the Commander she didn't have a great poker face and with each sentence, she grew more and more surprised, "See why we need to have Officer Matthews on the team", he added.

"I do", Kat began slowly, "but keeping the team in the dark like this isn't the way to go". Kat handed the tablet back to Cruger, "It doesn't take a psychiatrist to see that B Squad doesn't trust Charlie and I'm not sure they ever will".

With a resigned sigh, Cruger said, "They have to, if what Supreme Commander Andros has put in his report is true then it could bring SPD crashing down around our ears". He tapped a couple of buttons on his desk and brought up Charlie's personnel file on a nearby screen, "Unfortunately for us, Charlie Matthews might be the only person who can help us". Kat looked fearfully at the Commander, she hoped that the future of SPD didn't reside solely on the shoulders of a proven traitor.


	3. Frosty Welcome

_Chapter 3 – Frosty Welcome_

The following morning at precisely 0704 hours, four of the five members of B Squad were dressed in their training gear and had assembled in the outdoor training facility. Z, Syd and Bridge were busy going through a stretching routine, although the blue ranger's consisted of a handstand against a nearby tree. Sky, Commander Cruger and Kat on the other hand looked annoyed. The head of SPD's Earth branch checked his watch every few seconds, lowering his arm several times with an increasingly loud grumble. Sky stood with his arms folded across his chest with a look of mild satisfaction, "Not a great first day back", he commented, "four minutes late".

"Thank you Sky we can tell the time", Kat sighed, "according to the security systems Charlie clocked out the building an hour ago", the feline added after consulting her datapad.

"I'm beginning to regret these orders already", Cruger grumbled.

"Just beginning Sir", Sky snorted, "I knew this was a bad idea the moment she stepped through the door".

"Someone talking about me?" the trio jumped at the sound of Charlie's voice, "I thought my ears were burning". The newest addition to the team untied her hair briefly to free up some strands that were sticking to her forehead before securing it back with a hair tie. The command team noted the thin sheen of sweat across her forehead.

Commander Cruge let out low growl, "You're late", he stated.

"Sorry my ten mile run time must've slipped in the last few months", Charlie replied with a raised eyebrow, "I used to be able to do that in under an hour, really must work on that".

Sky, Cruger and Kat glanced at each other quickly, "You've been out running since 0600?" Kat asked, drawing a snort of derision from the red ranger.

Charlie shrugged, "I used to get my team out running laps even earlier than that". The new green ranger stood on one leg and stretched out her quad muscle, "We can began whatever you've got planned now", she added blankly.

The other three members of B Squad couldn't help but overhear exchange between Charlie and the command team. Sometime they forgot that Charlie was a former ranger and not just a criminal that had been plucked out of containment. The reality of having someone on their team probably more experienced than Sky was still sinking in, however, they knew there would be a huge blow out between Charlie and the red ranger sooner rather than later. "Now that you've graced us with your presence", Sky began with an acidic tone, "we will be going through the basic firearms exercise on the shooting range".

"Not that", Bridge groaned, still standing on his head, "I never do very well at that one".

Charlie eyes flittered over to her immediate predecessor and then back to Sky, "Is he always like this?" The rest of B Squad nodded vigorously, drawing a groan from the green ranger, "Don't worry Space Ace, there's not many people who can match my record score".

"Don't get too cocky", Cruger interjected himself into the exchange, "you'll find the program has changed since the last time you were here".

There was a brief staring match between Charlie and Commander Cruger before the new B Squad member smirked and added, "How hard can it be?" She held out her right hand in anticipation of receiving a blaster, "I believe I'll need some kind of weapon to take this test", she added when no weapon was forthcoming.

Reluctantly Kat pulled out a blaster that she had stored in a holster, "I trust you remember how this works", the scientist stated and handed over the plasma cartridge that was separate to the actual weapon. Charlie snatched the blaster and clip out of Kat's hand and in less than a couple of seconds had inserted the clip, cocked it and removed the safety, "I'll take that as a yes", Doctor Manx said dryly.

"We're using range two today", Cruger began, "the goal is to secure the safe release of all the hostages whilst disabling as many captors as possible". The Command then turned to the others, "Officer Tate and Doctor Manx will be in the control room, the rest of you can watch from observation and wait your turn". Charlie didn't need a second invitation and confidently strode towards the firing range but not before giving Z and Syd a confident smile. The two girls looked back in annoyance and walked away with Bridge towards the observation room.

Upon entering the firing range, Charlie found the set up very similar to what she remembered. The room was mocked up like a typical downtown street with several parked cars and other objects to provide cover. The buildings either side were close together to give the set up a very claustrophobic feel. Charlie tightened her grip on her weapon, knowing Cruger it was highly unlikely that she would get a warning before the simulation began.

Suddenly she heard some rustling from the doorway of the nearest building. Her combat training instantly kicked in and her weapon was trained on the door, "SPD hands up", she cried. A red humanoid shape stepped into the street with a smaller green shape pulled close to its body, "Hostage simulation number four", Charlie smirked and dived to her right. Seconds later a blast of laser fire impacted the spot where she had just been.

Taking shelter behind a dumpster, Charlie saw that the attack had come from the roof of the building nearest to her. She could only see the faint outline of her assailant but that was enough. Squeezing the trigger she took out the sniper with a direct hit to the head. Another flash of red from a window opposite caught her attention and Charlie unleashed another two shots, taking out those potential attackers.

The next thirty seconds were a blur as Charlie exchanged gunfire with a number of attackers. One by one the simulated assailants fell to direct shots to the chest until there was just the original gunman and his hostage, "Last chance", the green ranger called out almost as an afterthought. She barely finished her sentence before firing a round directly into the red guy's head. Instantly the virtual gunman dropped the hostage before the simulated humans faded away. Charlie ejected her spent magazine and flicked the safety back on with a satisfied smile.

She was in the process of reviewing her hits using the holographic playback when Sky, Kat and Commander Cruger entered, "Not bad, little off of center but it won't take long to get my eye back in", she commented. In response there was nothing but silence which was a concern to the new green ranger, "Well, tell me how much I passed by?"

"I would", Sky began with a triumphant smile, "but you failed the exercise".

Charlie stood dead silent for a couple of moments in an attempt to process the words that came out the red ranger's mouth. It took her a little bit of time but eventually she was able to mutter, "I'm sorry, I failed?"

"SPD rules of engagement", Sky quoted from the rule book, "in the event of a hostage situation, you must attempt to negotiate the safety of the hostages before engaging".

The green ranger wanted to disagree but technically Sky was correct. Instead she huffed and shot back, "That wasn't the way we did things in A Squad and you know that Commander".

"Times have changed Officer Matthews", Cruger began, "things are a lot less volatile that when you were in the Academy. I expect everyone to follow the standard terms of engagement".

Anger slowly began to build inside Charlie and she clenched her fists tightly, "You set me up", she hissed, "you knew I would fall back on my old training and would open fire, you deliberately engineered my failure". She glowered at Sky and then the Commander, "No wonder it took you so long to defeat Grumm".

"No that was because we had a group of traitor in our ranks", Sky shot back. Fury flashed across Charlie's eyes and she took a couple of menacing steps towards Sky. For a brief second it looked like she was going to slug the red ranger but just inches away from him, Charlie thought better of it, "Go on swing", Sky goaded.

"You'd like that wouldn't you", Charlie spat, "but you're not getting rid me that easily. She forcefully rammed the blaster and spent cartridge into Sky's chest. Charlie stood back and noticed that Cruger and Kat hadn't said a single word in her defence, "Must be nice, being the son of the legendary Commander Tate, clearly it opens doors that anyone can walk through", she hissed venomously.

"I don't think you should be talking about privilege to me rich girl", Sky retorted, "wasn't that the nickname they gave you at the Academy?" Charlie didn't give him a chance to answer as she turned on her heel and stomped away, "We're not through with the testing yet", he called out.

"Screw you Tate", Charlie bellowed, "write me up for this all you want", she added, anticipating his next comment, "I'm sure the Supreme Commander will love to hear how his senior officers administered an examination without a full briefing". That got the attention of everyone in the room and they allowed Charlie to leave, not that they would've had much chance of stopping her. She slammed her hands into the door before shutting it with a massive bang.

The sound of the banging door reverberated around the room and it was still going on when Kat said, "That went well", she snorted, "I hope you two are happy with yourselves".

"If it takes her down a couple of pegs then what harm can it do?" Sky replied.

Kat sighed, "You do know that the observation rooms are sound proof", Sky frowned in confusion, "the other members of your squad have no idea what happened in here and by letting Charlie walk out, you've given her full reign to be painted as a martyr fighting back against her biased superiors". Sky and Cruger flashed a quick look at each other as the weight of Kat's words sunk in, "Men, you never look more than a few feet in front of your noses". It was Kat's turn to slink away, leaving Sky and Cruger alone to ponder if they had just made a huge error of judgement.

Outside the range, Charlie was still fuming. More than handful of cadets leapt out of her way as she stomped back towards the barracks in fear of having her anger aimed in her direction. She knew that her appointment to B Squad wouldn't be popular but to have the Commander deliberately go against protocol just to teach her a lesson, that was a low blow. What made the matter all the more frustrating was that Cruger had all the information about her release to hand and still allowed Sky to run his little power game.

She was almost back inside when the sound of someone calling her name finally reached her ears. Turning sharply she was surprised to see Bridge, Z and Syd standing behind her with the yellow ranger in front, "Come to gloat too", she snorted.

"No we've come to find out what happened", Z stated, "Sky and Cruger just blew us off without an explanation".

Charlie snorted, they had simply come to get the gossip rather than check that she was alright. That really was the final straw, "Just piss off Lizzy and you two as well", she pointed at the blue and pink rangers, "go crawl back to your perfect leader and just leave me alone".

Z gaped at the woman before her face hardened, "Fine, we just wanted to check on you but if that's the thanks we get", she finished with a shrug.

"Consider the olive branch withdrawn", Syd added with venom and lead the trio away towards the firing range.

Charlie cursed herself for allow her temper to dominate her emotions. She had probably just blown any chance she had of getting accepted by B Squad. Charlie didn't necessarily care if they liked her but she at least wanted them to respect her. A couple of angry tears fell but she wasn't really sure who she was angry with, herself of the rest of SPD. She entered the barracks and slammed the door, if she was going to break down she didn't want to do it in public.


	4. Roommates

_Chapter 4 – Roommates  
_

A week had passed since the incident at the firing range and things were strangely calm inside SPD headquarters. Sensing that he had overstepped the mark, Sky had eased up on Charlie which had the side effect of creating an uneasy tension between the pair. The other rangers were still cool towards their newest member, opting to ignore any direct confrontation. From Charlie's side she was still snarky towards the team but now there almost no malice behind her words. During a discussion over lunch the previous day, Z and Syd had decided that sarcasm was just her default method of communication. The pair also felt like the attempt to build a bridge between them and Charlie had some effect on her attitude.

That morning Z was returning from eating breakfast alone. Her uniform jacket was trailing behind her when she entered her quarters and automatically she threw it towards her bed. Seconds later a cry of indignation reached her ears, "Hey watch where you're throwing your stuff", Syd snorted. Z rolled her eyes, it wouldn't be the first time her roommate had complained about her messy habits, "Although it won't be my problem after today", the pink ranger added.

Z finally began to pay attention to Syd and noticed that her stuff had been piled into crates. Her half of the room was completely empty, "Something you need to tell me Syd?" the yellow ranger asked cautiously.

"New room assignments", the blonde began, "now we have a permanent member on the squad, Cruger decided that we need to accommodate them in our quarters". Now Z was beginning to feel worried. It was SPD policy that men and women would be segregated, otherwise Sky and Syd would've moved in together a few months ago. With only four members on the team, quarter assignments weren't an issue. The only vacant spot were Jack's old quarters and since Syd was moving, that could only mean one person was joining Z in her room.

The yellow ranger's assumption was proved correct moments later when Charlie entered the room. She had a large khaki bag slung over one shoulder and her uniform jacket over the other one, "Sup Barbie, Lizzy", the dark haired woman greeted them in turn, "looks like we get to be roomies Lizzy", she continued, "no wild parties unless I'm invited and if you want some alone time, leave a sock on the door or something".

Syd blanched at the crassness of their team mate, instead she turned to Z and said, "If you have any problems, I'm just down the hall".

"I think Lizzy and I will get on just fine", Charlie beamed and threw an arm across Z's shoulder. The pink ranger snorted and turned on her heel, leaving the new roommates to get better acquainted.

It took Z a few seconds to realise that Charlie still had her arm over her shoulder. The yellow ranger shrugged it off firmly, "Keep your hands to yourself", she sniffed, "and stop calling me Lizzy".

"Might do", Charlie grinned, "but I think Lizzy suits you". Ignoring the eye roll from Z, Charlie gave her a quick twirl to show off her new B Squad uniform, "Looks good on me doesn't it, the one I've been wearing was a hand me down but this one fits like a glove", the dark haired woman stated, "but not as good as your uniform fits you Lizzy", she added with a wink. Z gaped at her roommate, trying to work out if she was attempting to flirt with her. Moments later Charlie gave her a half smile and chuckled, "Chill out would ya, I'm just messing with you".

"Are you always this annoying?" Z grumbled, "I would rather listen to Bridge babble on than listen to your attempted jokes".

"Ouch, you wound me Lizzy", Charlie chuckled and began to unpack her bag. Z couldn't help but notice that Charlie didn't have a huge number of possessions. There were a few casual clothes, mostly a bunch of red tops that Charlie probably wouldn't wear again now she was the green ranger. Next out were a pair of well worn biker boots that despite their battered state, Z actually wouldn't mind borrowing. Just as Charlie was getting to a clear plastic bag containing her underwear she commented mischievously, "See something you like?"

Still trying to work out if this was just Charlie's nature or actual flirting, Z ignored her and pretended to sort through the piles of clothes on her side of the room. She looked over periodically and was slightly surprised with the lack of stuff. Z had barely been with SPD for a year and she had accumulated mountains of clothes and various other knickknacks. Her new roommate though clearly packed light, "Is that all you have?"

"Apparently security cleared out a lot of my possessions when I was incarcerated", Charlie made no attempt to hide the bitterness in her voice, "might get them back one day if Cruger gets his paw out of his ass". She rummaged around in the bottom of her bag and retrieved a battered shoebox, "At least they didn't throw these away, I really would've been pissed off".

Intrigued Z craned her head to get a better look at the box. To her surprise it was full of comic books, "Didn't take you for a comic kind of person", she commented as the green ranger sorted through her collection. There were at least fifty comics in varying states of wear but there was one that caught Z's eye. At the back of the stack was one inside a plastic sleeve, "Must be valuable that one". Charlie looked smug before turning the front of the comic towards Z, "No way", the yellow ranger cried, "is that Batman number one?"

"Sure is", there was a brief pause before Charlie handed it over to Z, "I'll let you hold it but no taking it out of the plastic though".

Z grasped it in her hands reverently and ran her fingers across the cover, "It's in amazing condition for nearly ninety years old". She turned the comic over to inspect the back page, "Unless this has been in your family for years, this must've cost a small fortune".

Charlie hesitated for a moment and the yellow ranger picked up on her awkwardness, "My Dad brought it back in 2008, cost him nearly four hundred thousand dollars". Z gaped and nearly dropped the comic book. Suddenly she felt very nervous holding something of that value, "He got it for my tenth birthday, probably paid too much but it was about the time that The Dark Knight was raking in money at the box office". She carefully took it back from Z, "I reckon it would easily sell for half a million if I put it on the market".

For someone who had grown up on the streets, Z couldn't comprehend the amount of money that Charlie was taking about. She also couldn't believe the casual way that the green ranger commented on her father spending nearly half a million dollars on a comic, "Wow, what's someone with that much money doing in SPD". Charlie winced and visibly froze for a moment before attempting to collect her comics together casually. Z noticed that was the second time her roommate recoiled at her alleged wealth, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to touch on a sore spot".

"Not your fault Lizzy", Charlie replied in a small voice. For the first time Z felt the hardened outer shell of the green ranger crack. She wanted to ask more questions but she didn't dare push harder, that would force the wall back into place.

Charlie carefully placed her collection into the small cabinet beside her bed before turning to face the yellow ranger, "You ever heard of the Matthews family of Hartford, Connecticut?" Z shook her head, "we're old money and my family have more money than they know what to do with". She shifted slightly on her bed, "Honestly I swear one of my uncles has an underground vault that would rival Scrooge McDuck".

"Let me guess, they weren't happy you decided to join SPD", Z had a feeling this was where Charlie was going.

"Good instincts", Charlie gave her a small smile in return, "Little Charlotte Emma Matthews was meant to go off to some expensive College before getting married and push out the next family heir". She snorted angrily, "What they got instead was Charlie Matthews who wanted to kick some ass and change the world". Z couldn't help but laugh at that comment, "No way are they getting a kid either".

The atmosphere turned a little awkward again as Charlie lapsed into silence. The green ranger scratched the back of her head nervously, "But that's enough of my family history", she grabbed her jacket and pulled out a scrap of paper, "Cruger's changed rotas as well", she handed the paper over to Z, "Barbie and Space Ace are now partnered together which means that we're not just roomies, we're beat partners too".

A few minutes ago that would've filled Z with dread but after having a brief conversation with Charlie, she found herself actually warming towards the woman. It was too early to say if they'd be friends but at least they could be civil with each other, "Can you answer one question?" Z began, "how did you get out of containment?"

Once again Charlie shifted uncomfortably on her bed, "That's between Commander Andros and me I'm afraid". Z frowned, unhappy with the response from the green ranger, "One day I'll be able to tell you but my orders are to keep my lips firmly sealed". She stood up and grabbed her jacket, "Andros has always been a sucker for a redemption story. If he can forgive his sister for wasting their home planet then forgiving me for going off the rails should be easy".

"Wait his sister destroyed their home?" Z gasped in surprise, "that didn't come up in our Ranger history classes".

"Nah it wouldn't", Charlie chuckled, "those things are all airbrushed anyway to make them sound even more heroic than they actually are". The green ranger quickly patted herself down and checked that she had her Delta Morpher. The morphing function still hadn't been enabled but Charlie had been sailing through her catch up sessions. It would only be a matter of time before she was fully part of the team, "I was in the first group of recruits when SPD opened its Earth branch ten years ago so I got the full unedited version of the story". Quickly looking at the clock, she indicated to the door, "Our first shift starts in ten minutes, I'll tell you a few stories on the way".

Z nodded and grabbed her uniform jacket and followed after Charlie. It had been easy to paint Charlie as an evil person after the traitorous nature of A Squad had been uncovered. She was one of the few people who weren't in a command position that remembered the early days of SPD and had probably been mentored by some of the original Rangers themselves. It made her fall from grace all the more surprising to Z. Here was a woman who clearly wanted to make a difference, going against her family in the process, only to be swayed by the offer of power from Grumm. Maybe one day that would be a story for Charlie to tell her.


	5. Two Steps Forward, Two Steps Back

_Chapter 5 – Two Steps Forward, Two Steps Back_

An SPD squad car pulled up on main street and Charlie and Z stepped out onto the sidewalk. Almost immediately there was as buzz from passersby as they caught sight of the officers. Unfamiliar with the attention, Charlie tensed and her hand instinctively reached for her weapon. A firm hand from the yellow ranger instantly released her tension, "Easy there Tex", she whispered, "you'll get used to this". The green ranger nodded and the pair continued on their walk down the street. Charlie couldn't help but keep an anxious eye on everyone. She wasn't used to walking out in public dressed in her SPD uniform. Back when she was part of A Squad their identities were a closely guarded secret, even at SPD Headquarters. Tensions between law enforcement and the general public were still at an all time high and the risk of reprisals was too great of a risk.

The further they continued, Charlie couldn't help but marvel at the ease that Z dealt with the attention. The yellow ranger offered a quick smile to those that addressed her directly and to Charlie's eye, she appeared to be revelling in the attention. At one point a young boy stopped the yellow ranger by grasping at the helm of her long jacket. The youngster couldn't have been any older than ten, "Hey there kid", Z crouched down so she was at his level, "I hope you're behaving yourself for your parents".

"I am so sorry", a man caught up to the two officer, wheezing slightly , "Dale what have I told you about running off", he scolded the child.

"No harm done, right Dale", Z ruffled the boy's hair. She spotted a phone in the child's hand, "Tell you what, fancy a quick picture to show your friends?" The boy nodded enthusiastically, "Give your phone to your Dad and he'll do the rest". The yellow ranger looked up and caught Charlie's eye, "To make it really special, why don't we invite SPD's newest team member to join us", she said with a devious glint in her eye.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea Officer Delgardo", Charlie hissed back through gritted teeth.

"Nonsense Officer Matthews", Z's voice practically danced with mischief, "can't disappoint our young fans, can we?" Charlie grumbled under her breath and reluctantly crouched down next to Z. She offered a tight lipped smile which contrasted with Z's broad grin. Almost the second the picture was taken, she hopped back to her feet and resumed her eagle eyed search for potential hidden danger.

Z bade the child and his father goodbye and the two officers continued their tour of duty. They walked in silence for a few minutes, a rather uneasy silence at that. Eventually the yellow ranger couldn't take any more of the silent treatment from her partner, "You're unhappy with something?"

Charlie bit her tongue for a couple of moments, trying to avoid saying something that would make the rest of the patrol awkward. After thinking long and hard she responded, "It's just not how things were done", she sighed, "so much about SPD has changed in the last year".

"For the better though", Z replied, "no offence to your team but you were kinda intimidating".

"Yeah that was the point", Charlie snorted, "A Squad was trained for battle, not cuddling small children and taking pictures for their Instagram account". She snorted again, "Plus who honestly buys their child a top of the range smart phone, I wasn't allowed a phone until I started High School".

Z playfully nudged her in the shoulder, "Easy there Grandma, you'll break your rocking chair". Charlie flashed a withering glare at her partner, not too happy that she was the one getting teased for a change. "Obviously I can't speak for Cruger but with Grumm gone, there's need for the shock and awe tactics of the past. Maybe what this city needs is a cuddlier version of SPD to help heal the wounds of the past".

"Grumm's not the only monster in the world Lizzy", Charlie said with a resigned sigh, "the wounds that Hexagon caused won't be healed with smiles and selfies". She stopped and looked her partner forcefully in the eyes, "What I'm trying to say is watch your back because I won't always be able to".

"You just don't switch off do you?" Z retorted angrily, "and who or what is Hexagon, never heard of it before".

Charlie gaped at her partner, almost disbelieving that she hadn't heard of Hexagon before. She knew that Z was about ten years younger than her but the yellow ranger would've lived through the turmoil of 2014. Maybe her young mind had blocked out everything that occurred during that time. Nevertheless her Ranger history classes at SPD should've covered that period, unless someone in Command had airbrushed that time out of the lessons. "Let's just continue with our patrol", Charlie mumbled and carried on walking.

The green ranger's mind was still whirring about Z's admission fifteen silent minutes later. Who had taken the decision to remove any references to Hexagon from the curriculum and would it have any bearing on her personal mission? Suddenly she bumped into Z's back, her thoughts had been so busy that she hadn't noticed the yellow ranger had stopped moving, "Watch it Lizzy, don't want to send you to the infirmary after our first patrol".

"How many times?" Z grumbled under her breath but something told her that Charlie wasn't going to drop that nickname any time soon. Z had stopped because she recognised the name above the store and if she was honest, it was a little bit of a surprise.

"Landors and Samuels Clothing Emporium", Charlie read out loud. It took her a few moments for the name to click inside her head, "Surely this isn't old Jackie's place is it?"

"Must be", Z replied numbly. Last time she heard her old friend and former SPD red ranger Jack Landors was running a charity donating clothes to the homeless of Newtech City. Now it appeared he had branched out into the sales business without mentioning it to anyone. Charlie looked over and noticed the hurt expression on her partner's face. Curious to find out why, the green ranger took a few steps towards the store, "Hey we can't go in there", Z called out.

"Why not?" Charlie replied, "Jack's an old friend of ours", the look on Charlie's face was sour, it was no secret that the two former red ranger's weren't huge fans of each other, "plus we're just showing the new cuddlier side of SPD to the local business owners".

"I haven't told Jack that you're out of containment", Z admitted to her partner.

Charlie though didn't seem to care, "And Jackie forgot to tell you he opened a new store, guess that makes you even". Without waiting for a response Charlie confidently stepped inside, forcing Z to follow after her.

Inside the store the walls were full of men's, women's and children's clothing. There were several tall racks in the middle as well, obscuring much of the view of the store. Charlie had a quick check on some of the prices. They weren't unreasonable, in fact they were very cheap for this part of the city which was more used to seeing high end retailers. This store felt more like a budget or factory outlet where the merchandise was piled in and sold a cheaply as possible to make a profit.

Another thing that struck Charlie was how busy the place was. It was still early in the morning but some of the aisles were already crammed. Charlie just found a stack of green t-shirts when a bright voice called out, "Welcome to Landors and Samuels, anything I can help you with?" Charlie spotted the blonde haired woman and was about to respond when Z finally caught up with her, "Z, what are you doing here?"

"Hey Ally", Z waived, "so is this place new, I thought you were still working out the van?"

"Pretty new, only been open for a few weeks", Ally began, "even with Piggy's generous donation, we couldn't afford to keep giving away clothes. This place", she opened her arms up, "allows us to make some money and we have so much stock we can still keep the charity side of the operation going". Ally frowned at the blank expression on Z's face, "Jack didn't tell you any of this did he?" Z responded with a firm shake of the head.

"Who didn't I tell?" a voice called out and second later the familiar face of Jack Landors appeared. She was about to greet his oldest friend but his eyes suddenly fell on Charlie, "You", he cried, "who the hell let you out of prison?"

"I don't think SPD's recruitment policy is any of your concern", Charlie replied with ice in her voice, "after all you did resign Jackie".

Jack fumed silently until he noticed the green trim to her uniform, "Didn't let you back in at the top then", he said with a smirk, "clearly they don't forgive traitors that easily".

Charlie tried her best not to rise to the bait, especially in full view of the public but something about Jack just rubbed her up the wrong way. The fact that he had literally come in off the street and been parachuted into a leadership position really ate away at her. She had spent eight years fighting to the top of A Squad and this untrained amateur just jumped over everyone else. Deciding to let go of her annoyance, for now at least, she retorted, "Mr Roboto is doing a fine job of leading this team, even if he is an insufferable douche bag most of the time". Despite their differences even Jack had to smile and agree with Charlie's statement.

Ally meanwhile spent the entire time glancing between Charlie and Jack in confusion, "Do you two know each other? She isn't some crazy ex you left behind at SPD is she?"

There was a brief pause before both former red rangers burst out laughing, "God no, I wouldn't touch Jackie here with a ten foot stick, no offence to you both", Charlie snorted.

"None taken", Jack hissed, "Ally I would like to meet Charlie Matthews who is apparently the new green ranger on B Squad", he took a breath and added, "and the former traitorous red ranger of A Squad who very nearly condemned us to servitude to Emperor Grumm".

Ally took a couple of moments to look over Charlie who in return, looked completely unapologetically, "I see and if you don't mind me asking, why are you not serving a lengthy period in confinement?"

"I have a good lawyer", Charlie shrugged, "and apparently the Supreme Commander believes in giving people second chances".

Jack and Ally weren't given much time to mull over Charlie's vague statement as the shrill voice of one of their employees echoed down the aisles, "Mr Landors, Miss Samuels we caught a shoplifter in the act, we should get the-", the dark haired shop assistant paused when she finally came into view and spotted the two SPD officers, "well that was quick".

"Thank you Kristen, we'll take it from here", Jack replied and led Charlie, Z and Ally towards the manager's office. When they arrived the group noticed a very skinny boy sitting in one of the chairs. Charlie couldn't tell how old he was, possibly somewhere between eight and twelve. His face was dirty, almost hollow and his lank hair dangled in front of his face. Immediately Jack recognised the youth sitting in his office, "Oh Daniel, what are we going to do with you", he sighed.

"You know this thief?" Charlie asked the two proprietors.

"Unfortunately", Ally began, "this isn't the first time we've caught him trying to steal from the store".

"Even though you run the charity clothing drive?" Z asked the pair.

"That's not always enough", Jack replied, "this winter has been exceptionally cold and the stock we have to give away isn't always satisfactory. This time of year we sell out of winter gear really quickly". Jack placed his hand firmly on the youngster shoulder, "This one managed to get away with several coats just two days ago".

Charlie nodded and crouched down, eying the child, "Well looks like an open and shut case, at least the cells down at Headquarters are warm which is just perfect for a little street rat like you". Her tone wasn't condescending but it wasn't especially warm either.

The effects of the words were almost instantaneous though. Seconds later there was an angry snort from Z followed by a slam of the door. Jack was shooting daggers into the green ranger and looked ready to tear her apart, "Smooth", Ally commented, "you do know where my boyfriend and your partner spent most of their childhood right?"

The cogs began to whirl inside Charlie's head and it didn't take her long to realise she had just made a massive mistake, "Shit", was the only word that came to mind.

"That's putting it mildly", Jack said coldly. He turned his attention to the shoplifter and handed over the jacket he had attempt to steal, "This is your final warning Daniel. I know that times are tough, believe me I've been there. Don't let me catch you steal again, otherwise she'll be after you". He pointed at Charlie and the youngster's eyes widened in fear, "Ally could you see our guest off the premises".

The blonde complied and left the two former red rangers alone in the tiny office. The dark skinned man eyed Charlie with a mixture of suspicion and anger, "You've upset my best friend", he began, "normally that puts someone on my bad list but are definitely already there".

"Upsetting Lizzy wasn't my intention", Charlie began, "sometimes my mouth gets ahead of my brain".

Jack snorted, "No apology for me then?"

"Would you accept it even if I did?" Jack reluctantly conceded that point, "Let's get one thing straight Jackie, we don't like each other and we never will. To be honest no one likes me over at Headquarters".

"Can you blame them", Jack interjected, "you did your very best to murder most of them and install yourselves as Grumm's personal enforcers".

"Not my finest hour", Charlie admitted which surprised Jack slightly. The new green ranger had seemed very unrepentant earlier and those four words were as close to an admittance of fault as you were likely to hear. "Lizzy almost trusted me and now I've blown it, all because of my stupid mouth". She heard a buzzing from her morpher and quickly checked the incoming message, "Not only that, she's taken the squad car back to base", she sighed and snapped the device closed.

Jack shook his head, "Knowing Z for as long as I have, be thankful that's all she's done". The uncomfortable feeling settled back on the room again, forcing Jack to take action, "Well since I've decided not to press charges against our thief, I believe that concludes SPD's involvement here".

Knowing a dismissal when she heard one, Charlie nodded stiffly, "Be sure to call if you need any further assistance Sir", she gave her generic statement formally and quickly turned on her heel, refusing to see what kind of filthy looks Jack was giving her. She had messed up with Z and on top of that, she now had to walk back to Headquarters. At least it would give her time to work on an apology.


	6. Sidelined

_Chapter 6 - Sidelined_

The walk back to SPD Headquarters had taken some time for Charlie. If she was honest with herself she wasn't too keen to face Z in the near future. Apologies weren't her forte but she definitely owed the yellow ranger one. That wasn't the only cause of her slow pace, similar to her aborted patrol with Z almost everyone she passed wanted a picture or just a quick chat with the SPD Officer. Charlie was still extremely uncomfortable with the attention and her earlier argument in Jack's store hadn't put her in a chatty mood. She did try to remember something that Z told her, this was her chance to present a good PR image not just for herself but for SPD as a whole.

Eventually though Charlie realised she had to face the music and return to Headquarters. It had been several hours since Z left in the squad car but strangely there hadn't been any calls through her morpher. She wasn't expecting anything from Z but to hear nothing from dispatch was unusual. Either it was a quiet day or Cruger had found out about the bust up and was on the war path. As Charlie glumly approached Headquarters, she prayed that it was the former.

The green ranger entered the building and immediately headed towards the dispatch center, a room where you confirmed your return from a patrol, but she was stopped by the voice of Kat Manx, "Officer Matthews", the chief scientist began, "you're wanted in the briefing room".

Dread filled the green ranger and she hesitantly followed Kat towards the elevators. Mentally she had resigned herself towards a quick return to containment. If she couldn't get along with the team then her mission for the Supreme Commander was pointless. The elevator doors opened and the pair stepped inside. As they began their ascent the mood was silent and tense. Charlie didn't dare speak, fearing the wrath of the feline woman. "I hear that you bumped into Jack earlier", Kat said, breaking the silence, "and that you apprehended a shoplifter".

"The suspect was already restrained when Officer Delgardo and I arrived", Charlie replied curtly, "unfortunately the proprietor refused to press charges against the individual".

Kat nodded, taking the words onboard, "It's a shame you chose to stay behind and sort out the paperwork whilst Officer Delgardo assisted with the attempted robbery on the other side of town". Charlie's head snapped towards Kat and she desperately tried to keep her face as neutral as possible. Kat quickly thrust a tablet in the green ranger's direction, stealing her thumb print in the process. The manoeuvre had been too for Charlie to react, she was still stunned that Kat appeared to be covering for her, "I hope your grateful for this", Kat added with a hushed whisper, "but let's make this clear, I'm doing this for Z's benefit and not for yours".

Charlie's eyes scanned the report, somehow the document contained every detail of the incident, right down to the name of the young thief. "I'm very grateful", the green ranger began hesitantly, "but I don't understand why or even how you got hold of this?"

"Dispatch contacted Cruger when only Z reported to the robbery", Kat began, "fortunately he was away from the office so they called me. I contacted Z and she told me about the little incident you two had". Charlie could feel the green eyes of the scientist piercing into her conscience, "Against my better judgement she convinced me not to report it to Cruger. One quick call to Jack later and voila, one completed report. Fortunately he still remembered how to complete an SPD incident report". Kat sighed and looked away from Charlie, "This is the only time I'm covering for you and if you upset one of the tem again, it won't be Cruger you'll have to worry about, it'll be me".

Silence descended on the elevator until a soft ding indicated their arrival on the top floor. Just as Kat was about to exit, Charlie offered her a soft, "Thank you". The scientist looked surprised at the gesture before nodded in acceptance. A small flicker of hope burned through the green ranger but she was still curious as to why Z had covered for her. Back on her old squad something like that would've been jumped upon, especially by a lower rank. Z's actions would've been seen as a sign of weakness by the old A Squad but somehow Charlie knew that wasn't how this team worked. She had been given a lifeline and she wasn't about to let the opportunity slide.

Inside the command center, Cruger and the rest of B Squad were already waiting. Charlie immediately sought out Z but the yellow ranger refused to make eye contact. The green ranger could almost feel the simmering anger from the brunette, even from this distance. Feeling deflated once again, Charlie tried to turn her attention back to the briefing but the towering presence of Cruger blocked her vision, "You're late", he growled.

"My apologies Commander", Charlie replied as politely as she could and offered him a salute, "I'm still getting used to filling out the bureaucratic SPD paperwork again". A small snort of laughter emanated from the corner of the room. The sharp glare Sky gave Syd told her it was the pink ranger who found that funny.

"Hmm", Cruger practically snatched the tablet from her hand and began to read, "this hasn't been filed with the desk Sergeant yet?"

"Didn't get a chance Sir, Doctor Manx told me my presence was needed immediately", Charlie lied smoothly, her face a total blank mask.

"I see", Charlie wasn't sure if the Commander brought her excuse but as he placed the tablet on his desk, she knew that he wasn't going to question it further. For now at least.

As the Commander loaded up the briefing, Charlie could see out the corner of her eye that Z was staring in her direction. Maybe she was expecting the green ranger to land her in hot water with Cruger. Leaving your partner alone in the field was a serious offence, even if you had been the one offended by the other. Throw in taking their only mode of transport and that could've seen Z suspended. This was why Doctor Manx had covered for the yellow ranger Charlie realised, to protect Z not her.

If the rest of B Squad knew what had happened in Jack store, Charlie noticed they weren't letting on. She knew the squad was tight so it was pretty certain they knew something was off between the pair. Charlie might not have been Sky's biggest fan but he would do what was best for the team and for now, that appeared to be silence. "For the benefit of our newest addition can someone recap the last assignment we were working on", Cruger said to the rest of B Squad.

"Ooh I've got this one", Bridge raised his hand enthusiastically, drawing an eye roll from the rest of the room, "we were gaining intelligence on the Di Angelo crime family".

"The Di Angelo's of Baltimore?" Charlie asked, "I didn't know they had a presence in the city now".

"They haven't really", Sky fielded the green ranger's question, "they've attempted to gain a foot hold in the city two years ago but we managed to stop them". Charlie remembered that assignment well, it had been her first one as the red ranger of A Squad, "Nice tactics that day, never would've thought of doing that myself".

Charlie raised an eyebrow, "Careful Tate, people will think that you actually like me". Sky offered a non committal shrug in response and the green ranger began to wonder what had gotten into everyone this afternoon. "Last I heard that bust sent three of their top Generals to containment and the rest of them scuttling back to Baltimore with their tails between their legs".

"Things have changed since you've been away", Cruger said and Charlie immediately picked up on the hidden context of his statement. Although she was a little annoyed, suddenly everything felt right with the world again. "After the Scorpion Cartel was driven out of Corinth, the Di Angelo's moved into their turf which allowed them to regroup. They used Grumm's invasion to sneak under our radar and set up a few operations in Newtech again".

"What kind of operations are we talking about?" Syd asked, "must be pretty serious to get B Squad involved".

"Last time they were heavily involved in drug running", Charlie interjected, "they wanted to use Newtech as a stopover point so they could continue their drug route towards DC. If I recall A Squad were sent in to prove a point, I believe they were the words you used Commander", she added with a triumphant smirk.

Cruger growled, leaving Charlie feeling extremely satisfied with getting her own back on the canine. "Whilst I'll admit a show of force worked last time, this is different. The Di Angelo's aren't running drugs, they're running people".

"Illegals?" Bridge questioned.

"Hookers is more their style", Charlie shrugged, "preying on the venerable, usually the young girls that are dependent on their drugs". The rest of B Squad looked at her in surprise, "We spent the best part of a year trying to flush them out of our city", she shook her head, "damn near cost us Jonny's life in the process". Jonny Petersen had been her predecessor as A Squad red ranger and he had taken a couple of shots during a raid. It had been touch and go but he eventually pulled through but at the cost of his career. That promoted Charlie to the vacant red ranger spot and the rest was history.

Cruger nodded sadly, "Yes that was a tough time for all of us but that mission was flawed", he said firmly, "that's why we're having this briefing today". He pulled up a map of the city, focusing on the area down by the city airport, "Our intelligence is telling us that the Di Angelo's have opened a brothel just outside the airport. That allows them to bring in girls from outside the city as well as clients quickly. Some have come all the way from the West Coast, that's how far their reach extends". He allowed that to sink in for a few moments before continuing, "Our plan is to send one of you in undercover as a sting".

"Alright when do I start", Charlie interrupted the Commander. There was silence as Cruger stared back at the green ranger, "That is what you were going to say right? After all, no one knows the Di Angelo's better than I do".

"Which is exactly why you can't go in", Cruger said firmly, "every effort was made to keep your identity safe but we can't run the risk that someone in the operation could ID you. Plus I think you're forgetting Officer Matthews that you're not cleared for field work yet".

"Come on Doggie that's crap and you know it", Charlie snorted, "you could sign me off right now if you wanted to". Anger swelled inside the green ranger, trust issues between her and the rest of the room were beginning to swell, "Who are you planning on sending in then?" she asked hotly.

Charlie could see that Cruger wanted to chastise her but the Commander knew her too well. Once she got in this pig headed frame of mind, nothing was going to penetrate that fog, "Since this mission calls for female, responsibility will fall to Officer Delgardo as the most senior available officer".

That really boiled Charlie's blood, after today she felt like she owed Z and she would do anything to keep her safe, "Has she even taken the undercover training courses?" Cruger's silence told its own story, "Lizzy is a very capable Officer but going undercover requires specialist training, something which none of the team has taken". She caught Z's eye and Charlie could tell that the yellow ranger was undecided whether to thank her or shout at her.

"That will do Officer Matthews", Cruger growled.

"I won't be silenced on this", Charlie spat, "so what's my role in this assignment". Once again there wasn't a response from the Commander, "Yeah nothing, that's what I thought".

"Commander I think it would be prudent bring Charlie into this", Sky interrupted Charlie's rant. The green ranger suddenly thought hell had frozen over. Never in a million years did would she think that Sky Tate would stand up for her, "Her knowledge and experience could be invaluable in the field in some capacity, even if it's to get Z up to speed".

"The decision has been made Officer Tate", Cruger replied firmly.

Charlie snorted angrily and shook her head in frustration, "Forgive me Sir but what was the point of me being here if I'm not needed?" She gave him a sloppy salute, "I believe my shift ended twenty minutes ago and I know how SPD feels about overtime".

She turned and stomped out the room, fuming from the snub from the Commander. Since she was now off duty there was only one way she wanted to unwind, by consuming a vast amount of alcohol. Had Charlie turned around, she would've noticed the concerned face of Z sticking out the Command Center.


	7. Understanding

_Chapter 7 – Understanding_

It was after dark in the city but sleep was the last thing on Z's mind. She was busy searching trying to locate a specific bar in the city in her search for her missing partner. The briefing with Cruger hadn't lasted much longer after Charlie stomped out. The Commander of Earth branch might be stubborn but even he could see that the team backed the green ranger, at least in a limited capacity. They might not have trust her personally but she did have a wealth of knowledge on their targets and it would be foolish to ignore her completely.

Quite why Z was putting herself to the trouble of finding Charlie was beyond her. The woman still hadn't properly apologised for her commented earlier in the day. She hadn't sold Z out to Cruger either though which earned her some brownie points. Her willingness to stand up against the Commander on behalf of the team was also commendable. Charlie did have a point, Z was practically a rookie compared to the others. Sky, Bridge and Syd at least had the luxury of several years training at the Academy. Z didn't have that to fall back on, she was mostly relying on gut extinct and sometimes sheer dumb luck.

Z stopped when she located the bar she had been looking for. It was a grimy looking place with dirty windows and old fashioned neon lights on the inside. The place looked like it could do with a massive overhaul, or possibly even condemning on safety grounds. Z even had to look through the windows to check the place was open. The lighting inside was so poor and the windows so dirty that she struggled to see.

Even though she was out of uniform, Z was still recognisable to many people. To help maintain some kind of cover, she had worn a hoodie underneath her leather jacket and walked through the streets with the hood up to cover her face. Her hand touched the door and suddenly she froze. What would she say to Charlie if she was in here? The yellow ranger hadn't actually thought that far ahead. Realising that it was probably too late to go back, Z swallowed her doubts and stepped into the bar.

If the place had looked dirty from the outside, nothing prepared her for the state of the inside. There was a battered pool table in one corner with several stains on the felt that looked suspiciously like blood. Most of the bar stools were held together with duct tape or missing pieces completely. One window at the far end was boarded up completely and Z was sure there were shards of glass still on the floor. The bar itself looked extremely shiny and the yellow suspected that if she touched the surface, her hand would stick. She didn't even want to look at the floor, her boots were sticking as it was.

At the far end of the bar Z could see her target. Charlie was stooped over with a glass of brown liquid in on hand and an expression that reminded her of someone who had lost a winning lottery ticket. Fortunately the bar was mostly empty but Z kept her hood in place, just in case someone felt like taking a revenge shot at the famous yellow ranger. Z was about halfway towards Charlie when the barman growled, "Got any ID, I don't serve children in this place".

The man was a fearsome looking as he sounded, at least a foot taller than Z with a shaved head and arms full of tattoos. Not for the first time Z cursed her youthful looks, "Child", she scoffed. Although at 19 she was under drinking age, she definitely wasn't a child. She reached into her pocket, pulled out her morpher and opened it to flash her SPD ID badge, "Is that ID enough for you?" she hissed in response.

"She's with me Toby", Charlie called from the other end of bar. The barman didn't look too happy but reluctantly let Z go about her business. "Nice attempt at stealth but next time, don't wear a bright yellow jacket", Charlie chuckled and finished the contents of her glass, "Toby, two more over here".

"Seen her ID, she's not old enough", Toby the barman grunted in response, "can't serve her".

"Technically you're serving me, what I choose to do with that drink is my business", Charlie shrugged. She leaned over a little closer and whispered, "Tell you what if you serve the drinks, I'll turn a blind eye to the deal going down in the corner". Toby's eyes flickered to a table in the far corner where three men were huddled together and looking incredibly suspicious. The barman poured two glasses of neat bourbon and slid them across the surface of the bar, "An angel as always Toby". The barman grunted and moved away, keeping his eye on the men in the corner.

Charlie slid the glass over to Z who looked down at it suspiciously, "You shouldn't have done that, why if Cruger finds out?" The yellow ranger couldn't believe how reckless her new partner was being with her new found freedom. If the Commander found out she had purchased liquor for someone underage and turned her back on a drug deal, he would hit the roof.

The green ranger's response was to merely smirk and began counting down on her fingers from five. The moment she reached one Toby burst out from behind the bar with a shotgun in hand, the weapon pointed firmly at the gang of men. The sound of hurried movement and scraping chairs on a wooden floor didn't seem to alarm the other patrons. Before the men could turn against Toby, Charlie calmly slid down from her stool and pulled out her morpher from the back pocket of her jeans. She calmly approached the men and called out, "Gentlemen, you're under arrest for the illegal sale of prohibited narcotics", she flicked the device into judgement mode and in a flash, they disappeared to be replaced by three containment cards.

Just as calmly as Charlie had approached the men, she grabbed the cards and hopped back up onto the bar stool, "Wasn't sure if that wasn't actually going to work", she stated, sliding the morpher back into her jeans. Toby came back to the bar and nodded stiffly before sliding the bottle of bourbon over to Charlie, "Pleasure doing business with you Toby".

Z gaped at the green ranger, she had just arrested three drug dealers without breaking a sweat. Had she been on a stakeout all evening or had she just gotten lucky? The smell of alcohol on Charlie's breath suggested the former. Charlie downed her drink and grabbed the bottle off the bar, "Come on Lizzy let's get you out of here before Toby loses his licence". She hooked her arm into Z's and practically marched her out of the bar.

Once they were back in the fresh air, Z shook off Charlie's grip and snapped, "What the hell was that all about?"

Charlie looked around and ushered Z away from the bar, "Toby acted as my CI back when I was part of A Squad. His daughter died after a heroin overdose after buying from the Di Angelo's and he swore revenge against the family for their role in her death".

"So you didn't just come down here to drink yourself stupid after walking out earlier today?" Z asked.

"Oh I did that at the same time but I thought I would tap Toby up for any information in the process, the bust was just a bonus", Charlie shrugged, now swigging bourbon out the bottle.

"Sometimes I don't know whether to hug you or hit you", Z roughly snatched the bottle from Charlie's hand, "Cruger would blow his top if he knew you were out tonight".

"He's not my father", Charlie snorted and tried to grab her bottle back, "you were the one told me I didn't know how to switch off, well this is me firmly switched off". She glared at the yellow ranger with her hands on her hips, "Now give me back my booze". Z shook her head firmly, "Don't make me take it from you", the green ranger cooed and snatched at the bottle. There was a brief struggled which ended with Z backed up against the wall with Charlie pressed firmly against her, "Well if this is what you wanted, why didn't you just say so?" she said with a suggestive tone.

Z froze for a couple of second, unsure what she was feeling at that moment. Panic set in and she thrust the bottle into Charlie's hand, "Take it and get the hell off me". Charlie chuckled and reluctantly removed herself from Z's personal space, "You're drunk".

"I'd call it pleasantly tipsy", Charlie replied before a sad look crossed her face, "I'm sorry Lizzy, I was mean to you earlier and I'm still being a total bitch now". She slumped against the wall, "I'm a terrible person", she sniffed, the bottle clinking against the wall.

Once again Z found herself struggling for words, a drunken apology from Charlie was the last thing she was expecting and now the green ranger looked practically close to tears. The last person she expected to be a weepy drunk was Charlie. There was loneliness in her eye too, Z suspected that she didn't get along with her family and now she wondered if she had any friends back at Headquarters. She didn't necessarily want to spend tonight with Charlie but Z knew she would regret it if she left her alone, "You're not a terrible person", Z sighed, "just hard to understand". Fortunately Z recognised the part of the city she was in and knew there was somewhere quiet for them to talk, "Fancy going to my secret spot, it's not too far from here?"

Z suspected that she had caught Charlie by surprise as it took her a couple of seconds to nod in agreement. Z grabbed her by the hand and led her down a side alley towards a nearby apartment block. There was a fire escape about half way down and the yellow ranger jumped to pull down the metal ladder. The pair climbed towards the top before Z grabbed the edge of the roof and hauled herself over the top. She reached down and pulled Charlie over too, not trusted the slightly inebriated woman not to fall.

The roof was totally flat, the only exception was a long set of bleachers on the far side of the roof, "Before this place was Newtech City, it was called Preston", Z began, "back in 06 the government decided this should be the site of their city of the future". She took a seat on the bleachers and beckoned Charlie to do the same, "Sadly much of the old town of Preston was bulldozed and only a few buildings like this one remain. Over there", Z pointed towards an artificially created park, "was a baseball stadium. These bleachers were installed by the owners of the apartments so the residents could watch the Preston Sharks play".

"How do you know all this?" Charlie asked in surprise, "I didn't even know about the stadium and I've lived here for ten years".

"It's amazing the things you pick up when the streets are your home", Z shrugged, "people tend to be loose lipped when a common street rat is nearby".

Z felt Charlie flinch at the use of the term, satisfying the yellow ranger that at least she regretted using it earlier, "Look about that business at the store", Charlie began.

"Forget it, trust me I've been called worse", Z sighed, "don't even know why it bothered me at the time". The yellow ranger's anger had largely dissipated by the time she drove off in the squad car but whilst she was circulating, she couldn't realise why she had been so angry with Charlie. They were barely friends, let alone close, "Guess it's been a while since I heard it and it stirred up some old feelings". Charlie offered the bottle of bourbon and this time Z accepted, taking a gulp. The brown liquid scorched her throat and she began to cough violently, "Jesus, is that bourbon or paint thinner", she choked out between coughs.

"Not sure, never bothered to ask", Charlie replied and took a drink herself. The pair sat in silence, gazing up into the clear night sky. The main part of Newtech stood in the distance, a modern glass covered carbuncles contrasting with the stone building they were perched on. "I meant what I said to Cruger, you guys do need more undercover training", Charlie eventually said, "that wasn't an attempt to boast about my skills".

"I know, even Sky stood up for you after you left", Charlie's shocked look told its own story. Z shifted uncomfortably in her seat, "I wouldn't have to do too much pretending to fit in though", Z continued, "when I was fifteen times got really desperate and with nothing else to offer", she took a deep breath, "I had to offer myself to make enough money to survive". Charlie stared blankly at the admission and couldn't offer a verbal response. Instead she simply handed over the bourbon to Z, "Thanks, this would've come in handy during those dark days", the yellow ranger took another long drink.

Handing the bottle back to Charlie, Z rung her hands nervously before continuing, "It wasn't that bad, I sent one of my doubles in", on cue a second Z appeared on the other side of Charlie, surprising her so much that she nearly dropped the bottle. "The copies largely follow basic instructions I give them and whilst I'm aware of what they're doing, I can't feel what's happening".

"Bet that wasn't much of a comfort though", Charlie stated.

"It was if the guys got violent which they sometimes did", Z sighed, "they got the shock of their lives when the double disappeared without a trace though", Z had to snort with laughter at that, "I shouldn't laugh but if I didn't-".

"You'd cry", Charlie nodded sagely, "been there, done that Lizzy", Z turned to her in surprise, "not the selling my body thing but having to laugh off all the negative shit that's happened in my life". Charlie took another drink before continuing, "Part of the reason I fell out with my family was because I'm never going to give them an heir, I mean to do that I'd need to like men first".

That piece of news should've shocked Z but somehow it made everything made sense. It was like finding the missing piece to a jigsaw puzzle, "I know, walking stereotype right", Charlie continued, "bad ass lady cop with a fondness for biker boots and leathers is a raving lesbian". The green ranger sighed and shook her head, "That's not common knowledge by the way Lizzy, I'm not ashamed of my sexuality but I don't go around parading the rainbow flag either".

"I understand and I'll respect your secret, if you respect mine", Z said firmly and Charlie nodded in agreement. Z then thought back to their conversation earlier in the day and a burning question flashed across her mind, "Earlier today when you were unpacking your stuff, we you", she hesitated before adding, "were you flirting with me?"

Charlie flashed her a mischievous grin, "Oh Lizzy, you're going to have to get a lot more of this in me before I tell you that". Z chuckled and shook her head but to her surprise, she didn't feel that uncomfortable. "The night is still young and I haven't got anywhere else to be", she shook the bottle of bourbon, "Fancy a game of twenty questions?"

It was several hours later before the pair staggered off the roof and down the fire escape. There were a few stumbles on their way back to Headquarters but Charlie and Z rested on each other for support. Amazingly they didn't encounter anyone on route to their quarters and both of them were practically asleep before their heads hit their pillows. Before sleep overtook them, their promise to each other echoed in their heads, what was discussed on the roof will stay up on the roof.


	8. The Morning After

_Chapter 8 – The Morning After  
_

The following morning a very groggy Charlie stumbled into the B Squad common room. Some events of the previous evening were a little foggy. She remembered arresting a few suspected drug dealers at Toby's bar not long after meeting Z. The pair then spent several hours talking on the roof of some building downtown until they stumbled into their quarters around 2am. It was now 7:30am and Charlie felt absolutely terrible. She was tired, her throat was dry and even making the most basic of movements was a challenge. Turning on the coffee machine at the second attempt the green ranger rubbed her eyes before fumbling around in a cupboard for the largest mug she could find, "Fun night?" a sudden voice startled her and the entire contents of the cupboard almost tumbled out onto the counter.

Charlie spun around, instantly regretting that decision as she nearly lost her balance and found a smug looking Sky sitting on one of the couches with a cup of coffee in his hand, "Jesus Tate, you scared the shit out of me", the green ranger spat, "ever thought of announcing your presence".

"Like you and Z did last night", Sky calmly took a sip of coffee, "or should I say this morning". Charlie scratched her head and attempted to look as innocent as possible, "You two weren't as quiet as you thought".

The dark haired woman pushed aside her raging headache, her defensive barriers coming up instantly, "You here to write me up?" she began, "there's nothing in the rules stating I can't go out when I'm not due on shift the next day".

"Very true", Charlie was alarmed about how calm Sky was remaining, "but considering your tenuous employment at SPD, I thought you would be a little more prudent". Charlie wanted to rage against her squad leader but her hangover was preventing her from forming any significant retort. Instead she stared back blankly as the only sound to fill the recreation room was the percolating coffee machine. "I looked up to once", Sky continued, "in my early days at the academy, I wanted to score as highly as you had done".

That wasn't a comment Charlie was expecting to come out of the red ranger's mouth. It knocked her out of her defensive mindset briefly, "Thank you", she sighed and shook her head, "bet those days are long behind you, right?"

Sky took a very deep breath and lowered his coffee mug to the table, "Actions speak louder than words in my book Matthews", he said slowly and deliberately, "rolling in at two in the morning, clearly drunk, isn't a great action. Especially as your drinking partner is still under age", he added with a frown.

"Under age to purchase not to drink", Charlie quickly pointed out, "technically I brought it before Lizzy joined me". It wasn't completely true, Toby to barman had given it to her as a thank you for arresting the dealers in his bar, "Don't forget that Lizzy assisted me in apprehending those dealers at the same time".

"Yes I was very intrigued to see that in the log when I got up this morning", Sky replied, "I'm also amazed that you coherently filled out the custody log in your state". An uncomfortable silence fell on the room as the red ranger pushed his mug between his hands, "I do agree with you that the team needs more coaching for uncover situations, myself included". Charlie could see that Sky's admission was difficult and wisely decided not to tease him, "If you're willing, would you help us?"

Charlie frowned and crossed her arms across her chest, "Why me? SPD has numerous instructors that could help you".

"Because", Sky's words stuck in his throat before answering, "because I think you're the best person qualified to teach us how to infiltrate the DiAngleo's". Another difficult admission from the red ranger Charlie noted, "And I know you want to do everything possible to keep Z safe".

Suddenly all the pieces fell into place for the green ranger, it wasn't emotional blackmail but it was pretty close. Sky was right though, she did want to keep Z as safe as possible. Sometime during the last couple of weeks the pair had formed some kind of bond, culminating in their night on the rooftop. Just as Charlie was about to reply, she spotted something else in Sky's eyes. He looked more uncomfortable in her presence than usual. She did remember spotting a young Sky when he was in the Academy and knew he was a stickler for the rules. A small smirk flashed across her face, "Cruger doesn't know about this", she commented.

Internally she cried in triumph when Sky didn't deny her statement immediately. Instead he sat in his chair and wrung his hands together nervously, "Not exactly but he expects the squad to do whatever is needed to make sure their ready. I believe having you prepare Z and the rest of us is the best course of action".

The coffee machine announced that it was finished and Charlie poured herself a mug of the hot liquid. Grabbing the mug she crossed the room and took a seat opposite Sky. The red ranger looked a little wary, then again most of the team still did. Cruger and Doctor Manx always looked ready to stun her at a moments notice, Syd generally kept her distance and who knows what went through Bridge's mind half the time. After sitting in silence for a few moments Charlie stated, "You remind me a lot of your father".

"My father?" Sky gasped, "you knew my father?"

Charlie nodded, "He was my instructor during basic training", she smiled at the memory, "I felt sorry for him, getting stuck with a skinny kid from a rich family as a recruit but he didn't care. He always wanted to do what was best for the team". She paused, bringing up Officer Greg Tate always brought back painful memories, "SPD lost someone special that day and his sacrifice inspired me to be a red ranger like him", she snorted bitterly, "that worked out well didn't it".

"You achieved your dream", Sky shrugged, "that's a positive".

"Did I?" Charlie replied, "I was a red for just over a year and most of them were under the employment of the enemy".

Charlie drank some of her coffee, not really caring that it was still extremely hot. She needed to do something to distract herself from her own self loathing. She could see that Sky wanted to probe further but looked hesitant. Part of her wanted to stand up and walk away but maybe she needed to get everything out in the open. She would never move on if she kept holding onto the past, "You know what everyone said about me Tate, spoilt rich kid buying her way to the top", she began, "after a while even the thickest skin person begins to turn bitter".

"Yeah I noticed", Sky said, "you always used to help out with the new recruits but one day you stopped". He fiddled with his mug again, "I know Bridge remembers you from the early days, probably Syd does too. Don't tell him I said this but I think Bridge used to have a crush on you".

The green ranger chuckled with laughter. She wondered why twelve year old Bridge kept signing up to her extracurricular classes that were often too advanced for his age. Shame he would never have a chance with her. Her mood became a little darker as she remembered back, "That was about the time I became A Squad's pink ranger", she began, "everything was very insular, we had to protect our identities so the only people we could talk about our work with was each other". A few bitter memories began to bubble to the surface, "We knew that everyone in the academy was vying for our spots, it was us versus everyone else".

A look of realisation came across Sky's face, "And once those promoted from the academy joined, they too felt privileged and protected their spot".

"Exactly", Charlie nodded, "some A Squad members weren't so bad, Jonny was one of them and once he became leader he tried to stamp our attitude out". Charlie sighed and took another swig of coffee, "He might've succeeded if he hadn't gotten injured which left me in charge". She paused for a moment, her eyes firmly on the table, "I had achieved my dream and no one was going to take that position away from me and I wanted to do whatever it took to keep the power for myself".

"I see", Sky said slowly, "I guess everything does make a little more sense now".

Charlie suddenly felt a lot lighter, like a huge load had been taken off her shoulders. Admitting her failures hadn't fully removed the guilt but it was taking her in the right direction. "It wasn't just me", she continued, "the others on the team were just as bad. We all walked down the wrong path but ultimately I lead them there and as their leader I had to take that responsibility".

"It's hard, being in charge", Sky admitted, "but you've taken responsibility, that's a step in the right direction". He reached into his pocket and slid over a keycard, much to the confusion of Charlie, "A key to the holding cell, before our session later today I want you to interview one of the suspects you arrested last night". He stood up and straightened out his uniform, "This is your last chance though Matthews, the only reason I'm not writing you up is because I don't want to drag Z's name into your mess".

Now Charlie felt really guilty, both Kat and Sky had avoided writing up the green ranger to protect Z. The red ranger was right though, it wasn't fair for Z to suffer just because she had been dragged into Charlie's mess. She flashed Sky a small smile of appreciation, although he had a funny way of showing his acceptance, "Oh and have a shower, you still smell of cheap booze", he called as he left the room.

It took Charlie a few seconds to realise what he said, the post alcohol fuzz still very much in effect, "Hey", she called out after a retreating Sky, "screw you Roboto". If Sky heard her then he didn't acknowledge her comment. She didn't want to admit it but he was right, a good shower might wake her up.

An hour later, a refreshed Charlie entered the detention block where Bridge, Z and Syd were waiting. There were huddled around a monitor in the middle of the room, "Morning team, what's so interesting?"

"Hey you're still alive then", Z smirked, "I'm amazed you're conscious after last night".

"That was you?" Syd snorted, "you interrupted my beauty sleep".

Charlie opened her mouth to retort but Z beat her to it, "Actually it was both of us", she stated, "I guess we got a little carried away celebrating our bust". The green ranger offered a small smile and gentle nod of appreciation, "Not that we got much out of the suspect Bridge and I interviewed", the yellow ranger continued, "He's just a kid who happened to be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time".

Looking over Z's shoulder, Charlie saw a viewing screen with Sky in another interview room with another one of the dealers she arrested last night. The red ranger was sitting stoically on one side of the table with his arms firmly folded across his chest. The footage wasn't crystal clear but he didn't appear to be saying anything. Seconds later the criminal placed his head in his hands, his shoulders and chest rapidly moving up and down, "Is he crying?" Charlie asked, pointing at the monitor.

The other members of B Squad gathered around the screen, "I'd say so", Syd began, "how long was that this time?"

Bridge looked at his watch, "Six minutes, I'd say that's a new record".

"Six minutes?" Charlie frowned, "six minutes for Mr Roboto to do what?"

"Get the suspect to crack", Z stated, "he's been working on his Cruger stare, trying to make a suspect so uncomfortable they confess without him saying a word".

Charlie had to nod respectfully, getting someone to confess without actually conducting an interrogation was impressive. Maybe she had underestimated Sky, perhaps she was underestimating all of them. "He doesn't know anything", Sky announced as he entered the observation room, "nothing significant anyway". He noticed Charlie's presence in the room, "Matthews, good of you to join us. I trust you slept well after your big arrest", he added with a cold edge.

"Nothing like a bust to get the blood flowing Tate", Charlie sniped back. It seemed like Sky wasn't publically acknowledging their meeting in the rec room earlier in the day. What the purpose of that was, Charlie wasn't one hundred percent sure.

"Good", the red ranger began, "since this is your bust, perhaps you'd like to interview the last suspect". He handed over a tablet to the green ranger, "I assume you still know your way around the room, it has been sometime since your last interrogation".

Charlie couldn't disagree with him there. Once she made A Squad, she and the other members were forbidden from conducting the interviews themselves in order to preserve their identity. Checking over the information on the suspect, she noted previous for possession, dealing and violent crime. The suspect was also from the Baltimore area, offering a potential connection to the DiAngelo's. The green ranger began to head for the room but not before calling out, "Looks like you're with me Barbie".

It took Syd a few moments to realise Charlie was talking to her, "Me, you want me to go with you?" The pink ranger glanced over to Sky who looked curious to see where Charlie was going with this.

"My technique requires a second person", Charlie began, "and I don't think this guy will be able to resist two pretty faces". The green ranger looked past Syd and winked at Z before continuing towards the interview room.

Moments later Syd caught up to the green ranger, "I don't like the nickname Barbie by the way".

"You'll get used to it", Charlie stated unapologetically and quickly changed the subject, "tell me Barbie, what do you know about interrogation techniques?"

Syd stared at the green ranger sourly before replying, "I assume you're talking the legal kind?" Charlie raised an eyebrow but didn't say a word, "Well I know Sky is working on perfecting the psyche out method, Bridge prefers to just babble at them until they confess in order to shut him up and Z just has this knack of knowing when someone is lying".

"All very good methods and everyone has their preferred method", Charlie handed over the tablet to Syd, "Mitchell DiVenuto, aged 19 from Baltimore and to say his record is extensive would be an understatement". Syd nodded, all of this was basic information in the report, "A good interrogator can know which technique will work just by reading the front page of a suspects file and this technique is one of my personal favourites".

"And that is?" Syd asked.

"The classic good cop, bad cop", Charlie flashed an evil smirk in the pink ranger's direction, "guess which one you are". The green ranger placed her palm against the cell door and waited for it to unlock, "Just follow my lead and most importantly be yourself". Once again she left the pink ranger looking confused and stepped into the interview room to conduct her first interrogation in nearly six years.


	9. Good Cop, Bad Cop

_Chapter 9 –Good Cop, Bad Cop  
_

After entering the interview room, Charlie stood her seat calmly and continued to examine the tablet. She observed Syd sitting down nervously in the seat next to her but offered no verbal response. In fact Charlie consciously turned slightly away from the pink ranger in order to increase the physical distance between them. She made a great show of studying the tablet carefully but truthfully, she already knew what information to use against the suspect. This performance was more to increase the tension in the room to build up the discomfort. Judging by her fellow officer's awkward shifting, Charlie's efforts were working.

Glancing up briefly from the tablet, the green ranger took in as much of Mitchell DiVenuto's appearance as possible. He was very pale with dark rings under his eyes and straggly hair that refused to stay away from his face. His clothes were battered and a little smelly, like he hadn't taken a shower or changed in the last few days. Charlie was happy to assume that the man in front of her wasn't the ring leader of the DiAngelo's operation in the city. If he was then he was covering it up well, "I don't know anything", Mitchell stated as boldly as he could but his weedy voice still cracked with nerves.

Charlie looked at him properly this time and flashed a confident smile, "We'll be the judges of that", she began, "quite the record you've accumulated in a short space of time, I find hard to believe that you know nothing". She placed the tablet onto the metal table a little harder than was necessary, making her suspect flinch, "See if you agree with me Officer Drew", Charlie slid the device over to the pink ranger and Syd took it with a curious look on her face.

"I've been clean for the last few months, your records will show that", Mitchell said desperately.

"He's right", Syd answered, "no convictions for the last few months, maybe he's taking his rehabilitation seriously".

Once again Charlie smiled, she wondered if Syd knew how to play the good cop better than she thought. The pink ranger wasn't as ditzy as she looked, her equivalent on A Squad found that out to her cost. Syd's subtle praise for Mitchell painted her as sympathetic to him and that would allow Charlie to strike and strike hard, "Funny, the pale and sweaty face in front of me looks like someone suffering from withdrawal". Mitchell's eyes flickered to the side, the green ranger had hit the nail on the head, "Makes me curious as to why you were selling some of your stash".

"That wasn't me, I wasn't the one dealing", Mitchell snapped back.

Withholding a sigh, Charlie had to dismay at the poor defence this suspect was putting up. She liked a challenge and unfortunately this junkie wasn't offering any, "Well of course my eye sight could've been off and the judgement facility of our technology could've failed", Charlie tried to keep the sarcasm out of her voice, SPD technology very rarely failed. "Officer Drew play the footage from the bar", Syd did as she was told and sure enough, it showed Mitchell taking money for something that could only be drugs, "Care to try that again hotshot?"

Mitchell shifted nervously in his seat, looking a little reluctant to give the two SPD officers any answers. After a few seconds of silence, Charlie's patience ran out. She stood up and slammed her hands against the table, staring directly into Mitchell's eyes, "We've got you banged to rights for possession and dealing which, given your record, could lead to a very lengthy stretch in containment. Trust me, that's not somewhere you really want to spend a lot of time".

Charlie knew that only too well, in containment there was literally nothing to do. In many ways you were in a state of suspension, there was no need to feed yourself or sleep because basic functions like that were carried out for you. It was a common misconception though that you were frozen in time. The days and hours still passed and you very quickly became aware how slowly time passed without any way to stimulate your mind. It was the primary reason that containment sentences were much lower than regular prison time. If someone was sentenced to containment for too long, they would probably go insane within a few months. "Only the strongest minds survive containment", Charlie continued bitterly, "and I don't think yours is remotely tough enough". The green ranger could feel Syd staring at her but kept her gaze firmly on the suspect. This wasn't the time or place for a conversation about her time away.

"You don't understand how much influence these people have", Mitchel choked out, still terrified of another outburst from Charlie, "if I rat them out, my life is forfeit".

Relaxing slightly, Charlie slowly sat back down and contemplated her next course of action. Mitchell was more resilient than she gave him credit for, perhaps it was time to next things up to the next level. Taking the tablet back from Syd, she began to look at a few file pictures they had for Mitchell. Finding the one she was looking for, Charlie turned the device around and showed her suspect an image of a teenage girl who bore a resemblance to Mitchell, "She's kinda cute, what's her name again?"

"Adrianne", Mitchell hissed, "you stay away from my sister, she has nothing to do with this".

Charlie reclined slightly in her seat, "I disagree, we are well within our rights to contact Baltimore PD and ask them to do a search of all properties where you've been known to reside". A small smirk flashed across her face, "Maybe we could do it ourselves, SPD does have executive authority across the entire country. We don't want local LEOs to claim credit for our hard work after all".

"Charlie, stop it", Syd hissed under her breath. The green ranger wasn't lying, SPD was a little bit like the FBI in the sense that their jurisdiction stretched over the country. What she wasn't telling Mitchell and what Syd knew, was that this authority could only be called on in the event an alien invasion or attack. SPD couldn't roll into Baltimore to search Mitchell's family home, unless an alien threat was present.

"That probably wouldn't go down too well with your employers though", Charlie ignored the pink ranger's protest, "seeing SPD swarm into their city. Maybe it could make them take retaliatory action against the person responsible", she added coldly.

Mitchell's eyes widened at the thought but Syd looked truly horrified by Charlie's suggestion, "That's enough Officer Matthews", the pink ranger barked.

"We're the only ones who can help you", Charlie stood up from her chair, "but if you don't want to tell us anything". She turned her back on Mitchell and left the interview room, leaving Syd alone with the suspect.

When the green ranger reached the observation area, she found an angry looking Sky and a bemused Bridge and Z huddled near the monitor, "An interesting technique", the red ranger commented, "certainly not one from the manual".

"Did you mean any of those things?" Z jumped across in front of the red ranger. Charlie noticed a slightly fearful look in her eyes.

"Course not Lizzy", Charlie snorted, "playing the bad cop part means that you have to bend the truth slightly. Too much and the suspect won't believe you, not enough and he won't take you seriously. It does mean that you're hated by a lot of people but", she shrugged, "I'm used to that by now". Charlie turned her attention to the screen and to her delight, Mitchell appeared to be pouring his heart out to the pink ranger, "Works every time", she chuckled.

"You got lucky", Sky had his own tablet in hand and was searching through Mitchell's file, "you found the photo of his girlfriend", he flashed the screen in the direction of his team.

Bridge and Z's eyes flicked towards the tablet and then to the viewing screen, Mitchell's girlfriend bore more than a passing resemblance to Syd, "Use every tool at your disposal", Charlie smiled, "in this case having Barbie look like Mitchell's dream woman was a major advantage. Plus if she gets the credit for obtaining valuable intel, that can only make the team stronger".

"Not taking any of the credit?" Sky asked, frowning slightly.

"For being a bitch?" Charlie snorted, "already have that reputation, don't need it enhancing any further", she added with a self depreciating tone.

"Hey guys", Syd practically bounced into the room, "the DiAngelo's are coming to the city".

"Coming personally?" Sky asked and the pink ranger nodded, "how many of the family are coming?"

"Mitchell wasn't sure but definitely Michael and Paolo DiAngelo", Syd continued, "they're coming to oversee a new trafficking hub next week".

This was big news for SPD, Michael DiAngelo was the head of the family and Paolo was his oldest son and probable successor. If those two were coming to the city then something big was going to happen. They were very rarely seen in Baltimore, let alone away from the city, "Good work Syd", Sky smiled, "I'll make sure that the Commander hears about your good work". Charlie noticed the red ranger look her way but she remained stoic under his scrutiny.

"Mitchell did ask for one thing in return", Syd began, "protection for himself and his family from any reprisals".

"That can be arranged", Charlie glanced over to Sky, "wouldn't you agree Officer Tate?" Sky nodded firmly, little annoyed that the green ranger had made that decision for him, "Perhaps now would be a good opportunity to work on your undercover techniques".

"I think we've earned a rest", Sky suggested instead, "good work today everyone, we'll start our preparations in the morning". B Squad began to file out but he stopped Charlie and Z, "Not you two, someone needs to complete the paperwork from the interviews". The yellow and green rangers groaned loudly, "Maybe next time you won't roll in at 2am after spending the evening drinking", he added with a smug smirk before leaving the pair alone.

Pulling up a couple of chairs around a desk in the corner, Charlie and Z started working through the transcripts from the three interviews, "I'm sorry for this", the green ranger began, "if you hadn't come looking for me then we wouldn't be stuck on filing duty for the next couple of hours".

"Two apologies in twelve hours", Z chuckled without looking over to the green ranger, "must be a new record for you".

"Don't get smart with me Lizzy", Charlie said with a playful chuckle, "I appreciated our talk last night, at least I have someone on my side in this building".

Charlie couldn't help but notice the reluctance of the yellow ranger to respond straight away. Her focus was purely on the tablet in front of her for at least a minute or so. Eventually she broke her silence, "Those threats you aimed at Mitchell, have you ever followed through on them?"

The green ranger stopped what she was doing and let out a sigh, "No I haven't but I know some other members of A Squad did, even when I was in charge". She let that hang in the air for a couple of moments, "I should've written them up but I let it go and that makes me just as guilty as they were".

"Then why did you do it?" Z asked quietly.

"The same reason you did those things when you were on the streets", Charlie said with a silent whisper, just in case anyone was within earshot. "Circumstances were different, I wasn't fighting for survival at least not physically". Z looked confused until Charlie continued, "If the other members of the squad sensed weakness, they would've kicked me off the team". Z nodded in understanding, "Does that make you think less of me?"

Z sighed, "Let's face it Charlie, I know you're not squeaky clean", the green ranger had to nod in agreement, "but I can see you know what you did wrong and are trying to make amends, that's all we can ask for". A few more moments passed until Z added, "You'd better explain some of that to Syd though, she looked genuinely terrified of your bad cop act".

Charlie nodded in agreement and the pair continued their work in silence. At least the green ranger felt like she was making progress with the other members of the squad. It was hardly a smooth relationship but at she wasn't totally isolated like she initially feared. Now all she had to do was convince Cruger to let her join in the mission to take down the DiAngelo's. There would need all the help they could get.

 _ **A/N -** Alright everyone this is the final update before Christmas. I do have an early New Year's resolution, finish the Hexagon series before the end of 2017. The project probably isn't going to be as extensive as I originally planned so the end will definitely be coming next year. Fans of Doctor Who, please check out my DW stuff because that too wil reach a conclusion some time in 2017. Have a good Christmas and I'll catch you on the flip side. _


	10. The Right Thing

_Chapter 10 – The Right Thing_

The day had finally arrived for B Squad, the day of the undercover assignment with the DiAngelo crime family. Charlie had done her best to prepare Z for the mission over the last week and she had to admit that the yellow ranger was an excellent student. The green ranger was still a little nervous, the week of training had been intensive but simulations couldn't accurately replicate the real world. You couldn't program a machine to replicate the human brain and if Michael and Paolo DiAngleo spotted anything unusual about Z's behaviour, the whole thing could go wrong very quickly.

Charlie could feel the nervousness in the squad room, the tension was so thick that she could almost reach out and touch it. Sky was pacing the floor, this was his first big assignment as squad leader and it could make or break his career at SPD. The successful arrest of the most prominent members of the DiAngelo family could see him on the fast track to Commander but failure would see his stock plummet very quickly. The Supreme Commander's of SPD were already impatient with his handling of the vacant green ranger spot on his team, a failure here might have them questioning Cruger's choice for team leader.

The other two members of B Squad present in the room were also unusually quiet. By now Bridge would've said something hard for anyone other than himself to decipher or Syd would've attempted to reassure her not so secret boyfriend about his planning of the assignment. Instead they were huddled nervously next to Cruger's vacant desk, almost too afraid to vocalise their thoughts. The silence wouldn't last forever and it came as no surprise that the blue ranger was the one to speak, "Why are we so nervous?" he began, "we've looked Grumm in the eyes without any fear, why is this so different?"

"Because this really matters", Charlie spoke up from the other side of the room, "one of our own wasn't walking into the midst of some of the most dangerous crime lords with nothing but her wits to keep her safe".

"You're a bundle of joy aren't you?" Syd scoffed.

"But also correct", Charlie shot back, "I don't see any of you denying it". The rest of B Squad remained silent and Charlie knew she had hit the nail on the head. Sometimes she forgot just how inexperienced in the real world this team were. Sure they had taken down Grumm but that was more like a guerrilla war. What they were facing today was more like traditional Police work, something they had trained for but had very little real world practice with, "We've planned this mission to death, it's a solid plan".

Sky nodded in appreciation of Charlie's words, the green ranger knew they were unlikely to be friends but in the last week she had shown her worth to the team. Charlie had taken his words to heart and was trying to be the experienced officer that she was. They still clashed over the smallest things and they probably always would but Sky respected her knowledge and experience. "This would still be better with an extra squad member as back up", the red ranger stated.

That was still a sticking point for Charlie and the rest of B Squad. Commander Cruger still hadn't signed her off for this assignment so she would be spending the duration of the day sitting alone in her room. The Commander wouldn't even allow her to stay in the squad room and offer tactical support. A small part wanted to rage against the unfairness of his decision but she had to reign in her natural impulses. The team didn't need any more tension added, they were stressed enough already without her flipping out on the Commander, "Well that's his choice", Charlie snorted, making it clear she was unhappy with the decision.

Charlie wanted to say something else but fortunately she decided to hold her tongue. Moments later Commander Cruger and Doctor Manx entered the squad room with Kat's assistant and human crash test dummy Boom not far behind, "B Squad", Cruger greeted them and in return the team saluted him. "I'm not one for making speeches so I'll keep this quick, you all know what you have to do so get out there and do it".

The green ranger resisted the urge to roll her eyes, that was probably one of the worst speeches given by anyone. It did reflect the mood of the room though, they had planned enough and now was the time for action. The group had been focused on the Commander so much that they hadn't noticed the other member of their team hovering in the doorway. Charlie caught sight of something yellow out the corner to her eye and when she turned around, her jaw nearly hit the ground. Dressed in a short, clingy yellow dress and a pair of heels that shouldn't been impossible for anyone to walk in was Z. The yellow ranger looked extremely uncomfortable in her attire shuffling nervously in on the spot, "Wow Lizzy", Charlie said breathlessly, "you, look", her voice trailed away, her brain unable to vocalise her thoughts.

"Like a hooker", Z snorted, "yeah, that's kinda the point", she added, tugging on the hem of her dress in a vain attempt to cover her thighs.

Once Charlie's heart had slowed to a reasonable pace, she remembered that she was an SPD officer and this certainly wasn't a peep show, "Remember what I told you, live the lie", the green ranger began, "you might look the part but right now, you're not acting like it".

"Good advice Officer Matthews", Cruger interrupted the moment, "since that dress doesn't leave much room for your morpher", the Commander ignored Z's snort of indignation, "Boom has come up with an idea that will enable you to stay protected". A sudden snigger from Bridge and Syd earned them a sharp glare from Cruger, "Oh grow up you two", he groaned, "get on with the demonstration Boom".

Charlie had to admit that hadn't interacted much with Boom during her time at SPD. Back in her A Squad days, her team had regarded him as a bumbling idiot who would struggle to tie his shoes, let alone engineer something worthwhile. Since coming out of confinement, she had learned that Boom was actually a capable scientist and engineer in his own right and had actually come up with several devices and plans that had helped B Squad repel Grumm. "Overnight I downloaded a piece of software to your morphers, giving you several new functions. For example the morphers can act like radio receivers which all of you can tune into".

"Like an old fashioned Police scanner?" Bridge asked, "awesome".

"That's not the most important feature for today, Z could I have your morpher?" The yellow ranger stepped into the room, wobbling slightly in her heels and placed her morpher into Boom's hand. He flipped the device open and punched a couple of buttons into the keypad. A couple of seconds later, the morpher appeared to disappear, "A cloaking device, a low powered one mind you".

"Amazing", Z felt around Boom's hand, her morpher still had a physical presence but she just couldn't see it, "what happens if I lose it? I'm not going to be able to see it to locate it".

Boom scratched the back of his head, "Yeah that was a problem during testing, I still haven't been able to find all of my prototypes in the lab".

"Not filling us with confidence Boom", Sky shook his head.

"The best engineers learn by their mistakes", he replied, "which is why the cloak will remove itself after twelve hours". At this point Kat handed some to him, a small purse with a skinny strap, "Kat tells me this purse is highly fashionable right now", he slotted the invisible morpher into a small pocket hidden in the lining, "they shouldn't be able to feel it in there".

"Boom you're a genius", Z smiled and patted him on the arm, drawing a blush from the engineer. "Shall we get this show on the road?" the yellow ranger quickly turned to Charlie, "thank you for your help this week".

"The best thank you will be seeing the DiAngelo's locked in a containment card", Charlie smiled in return, "and remember what I taught you".

"Yeah I know, live the lie", Z straightened herself up, sticking out her hips a fraction. Her hair had been styled into a high ponytail complete with dark extensions and she flipped it over her shoulder provocatively, "Don't wait up for me sweetie", she said in a husky voice and strutted out the room as confidently as she could.

Charlie and the rest of B Squad followed after her but the green ranger's eyes were drawn towards one part of Z's anatomy. Judging by the looks from other passersby in the corridor, she wasn't the only one admiring Z's wiggle, "I taught her far too well", Charlie whispered under her breath. She paused at the end of the corridor, she would have to return to her quarters and wait until her team returned. Suddenly she noticed Boom heading away from the rest of the group. A small smile flashed across her face and she hurried to catch up with the engineer, "Nice work on the software upgrade Boom", Charlie called out, "I don't think we ever worked together in the past".

"No we didn't", Boom replied nervously, "I believe that was because I couldn't engineer my way out of an unlocked door, at least I think that's what Rachel said to me".

The green ranger grumbled under her breath, Rachel the A Squad pink ranger certainly had a mouth on her. Even Charlie found her to be rude and condescending, that's how bad she was, "Not her finest hour and she was wrong", Boom raised his eyebrows at the admission from Charlie, "I've learned from our mistakes and I'm not judging a book by its cover again so perhaps we should start again". She offered her hand to Boom, "Officer Charlie Matthews, SPD B Squad green ranger".

Boom looked reluctant but accepted Charlie's handshake, "Edward Shaw but most people here call me Boom, chief tester and assistant to Doctor Kat Manx".

"Pleasure to meet you Boom", Charlie flashed him her best smile and snaked an arm across his shoulders, "you were telling us about a radio function that our morphers now have?"

A couple of hours later Charlie was laying on her bed, propped up with her arms behind her head. Her morpher was on the desk in the middle of the room and she was listening intently, waiting for any word through the device. She had been able to charm the activation code for the radio functionality out of Boom fairly easily. Clearly he didn't know that she wasn't meant to have any involvement in the assignment today. Technically she still wasn't involved but that didn't mean she couldn't listen to what was happening.

So far nothing major had occurred, Z had integrated herself with the other potential escorts easily. Charlie had to smile every time she heard Z speak, the yellow ranger was following her instructions and training perfectly. Based on what she had heard, only small time members of DiAngelo's were present so far. There was enough evidence to arrest them already but the big fish weren't here yet. The team couldn't make a move until Michael and Paolo DiAngelo had arrived.

" _Wait, we've got movement"_ , Charlie sat up, recognising Syd's voice. Her role was as the advanced look out, positioned in plain clothes at the approach point to the warehouse, _"Two limos with blacked out windows"._

" _Copy that",_ Sky's replied. Charlie waited on the edge of the bed, the anticipation was killing her. Perhaps listening to the mission over the radio wasn't the best idea, " _Arrivals confirmed as Michael and Paolo DiAngelo, alright everyone wait for the sig-"._

" _Wait",_ another voice that Charlie didn't recognise came out her morpher. It probably belongs to one of C Squad who had been drafted into the mission as support or one of the regular grunts, _"three more cars are approaching from the East"._

"That's not part of our plan", Charlie whispered to herself, they had planned for just the two members of the DiAngelo's plus their hired muscle. More people coming to the event would lead to a serious shortfall in their plan. There wouldn't be enough people to cover all available exits from the site. The wait for news of the new arrivals was agony for Charlie, just who else was coming in those cars?

A couple of seconds she got her answer, _"I don't believe this",_ it was Bridge's turn to speak, _"it's the other three heads of the DiAngelo's"._

Charlie's eyes widened at the news, Michael DiAngelo's other three sons were here as well. It was extremely rare to have all five of them in one place and also extremely concerning. Z might be able to protect herself against a few goon and a couple of the DiAngelo's but three more of them plus their bodyguards, that tilted the odds away from the yellow ranger.

It didn't take Charlie long to decide what she was going to do. She knew that it went against Cruger direct orders and she could get thrown back into containment but right now she didn't care. She would rather get locked up for doing the right thing than remain a free woman but leave her team horribly exposed. She grabbed her morpher and uniform jacket and sprinted out the room as quickly as she could.


	11. Calm Under Fire

_Chapter 11 – Calm Under Fire_

If there was one thing Z hated more than anything it was waiting around. A childhood spent on the streets taught her to keep on the move at all times. Staying still for too long usually led to trouble and meant that you were attracting the wrong kind of attention. She had been inside this warehouse for the last couple of hours with no sign of anyone significant from the DiAngelo family. That left her with nothing to do but attempt small talk with the other girls. Some of them were engaging but most of them were extremely vapid, to the point that Z thought they were actually proud of their stupidity.

She had just finished a rather tedious conversation with a girl by the name of Krystal, who's proudest achievement was successfully finding the perfect shade of foundation to match her skin tone. Every fibre of Z's body wanted to pour scorn on the girl but instead she had to twirl her hair around her finger and remember to giggle at the right moments. She didn't want to draw more attention to herself than necessary, she was literally in the lion's den right now.

"Jeez, I thought she'd never shut up", another one of the girls groaned and flopped down next to Z, "did you know her ambition is to be one of the Kardashian's", the girl shook her head, "product of the reality TV generation right there".

Z had noticed this girl a couple of times, hard not when she was dressed in a yellow corset top and tight blue hot pants. The yellow ranger had to admire her glossy caramel coloured hair, complete with a few blonde streaks. There was something different about this girl from the others, she seemed smarter than anyone else she had talked to, "Amanda Handley", she offered her hand to Z.

"Elizabeth Daniels", she replied with the fake name Kat had created for her, "but you can call me Lizzy".

"You seem different from the others Lizzy", Amanda began, "tell me, what is a well educated individual like yourself doing here".

Internally Z snorted, she had no formal education to speak of. Almost everything she learned had been scavenged from discarded library books or from the older kids on the street. Mind you, compared to Krystal and the others, Z must've looked like a genius, "Could ask you the same question", she shrugged in an attempt to turn the conversation back to the brunette.

"Family matters mostly", came Amanda's non committal response, "and money, I hear you can make a lot of money working for guys like the DiAngelo's". That was something that Z definitely agreed with, the amount of money an escort working for the DiAngleo's earned in one night was almost as much as she earned in a month.

Their conversation was cut short by the main doors to the warehouse opening and then very quickly closing. Z was immediately on alert, only to be surprised by the number of people entering the warehouse. She immediately recognised the older Michael DiAngleo and his eldest son but the others were unknown to her. Judging by the way they were walking in together and the resemblance to each other, they must all be related.

Out the corner of her eye Z could see Amanda tensing up. Z had to wonder why because there was no obvious sign of a threat from the men. Pushing that aside the yellow ranger slowly got up and began to join the other women. She made sure to keep the small bag donated by Kat within close reach, something about this situation was beginning to feel dangerous.

Michael DiAngelo gently raised his arm, bringing to halt the rest of his family. Z carefully observed the bodyguards fanning themselves out around the warehouse, enclosing the girls in a semi circle, "Good evening ladies", he began with a smooth voice, "I apologise for keeping you waiting".

By now Z's danger-sense was really buzzing. The excessive muscle in the room and the general demeanour of the group didn't make this feel like an ordinary meeting. This felt more like an ambush, "Most of you have come here seeking employment within my organisation", Michael continued, "however, I have learned that one of you isn't who they appear to be". Now Z really was ready for action, had her identity been discovered that quickly?

"If there's one thing the family doesn't tolerate, it's a rat", Paolo DiAngelo continued, "we also do not tolerate failure". He clicked his fingers and two of the bodyguards grabbed one of the men out of the crowd. Z recognised him as the chief recruiter in the city, he had been the one to welcome her to the warehouse earlier in the day.

The man was shoved roughly to the ground, landing firmly on his knees. He began muttering something in a language Z didn't understand but suspected it was probably Italian, "Oh stop begging Carlo", Paolo snapped at the man, "your failure brought SPD into our midst and for that, you must suffer the consequences". Before Z could react, Paolo had pulled a handgun out of his jacket and aimed it squarely at the man's head. A fraction of a second later there was a loud bang and the man's lifeless body slumped to the ground.

The gunshot had an immediately effect on the girl's with the majority of them crying out in panic and shock. It took Z a few moments to realise she hadn't reacted like the others and quickly feigned distress at the lifeless corpse on the ground. "That's your only chance Miss SPD officer", Michael shouted over the despairing cries, "the next bullet has your name on it". Z cursed herself, the recruiter was a terrible person but he didn't deserve to be executed. She must've slipped up during the day, that was the only way the DiAngleo's could've been tipped off to her presence. The question now was, what was she going to do?

A hundred metres or so away from the warehouse, Charlie was completing her drive to the location of the meeting. Taking an SPD Cruiser would've alerted Cruger to her departure and announced her presence to everyone in the area. Instead she had to commandeer a civilian vehicle and drive to the outskirts of Newtech. The green ranger hadn't been involved in the execution of the mission but she had sat in on the planning and briefing sessions. That gave her excellent knowledge of the lookouts and their scope on the surrounding area.

Abandoning the car near a large warehouse, Charlie spotted her target standing in the window of the building on the other side of the street. She waiting until the sentry was looking the other way and sprinted towards the building. Pressing herself against the wall, she inched across until reaching the door. Carefully pulling the door towards her, she inched up the metal stairs until the blonde haired guard came into view.

The green ranger planned on sneaking up on the sentry, subduing them enough to calm them down and take her to Sky in the command position. She inched closer until she was practically in touching distance of her target. The guard though had sensed her presence, dropping her shoulder and grabbing Charlie's outstretched arm. With a firm throw, Charlie was tossed over the guard's shoulder and landed painfully on her back, "Jesus Barbie, it's only me", the green ranger groaned, "good reflexes by the way".

"Not as dumb as I look", Syd smiled and flicked her hair over her shoulder. Charlie resisted the urge to roll her eyes, clearly the pink ranger hadn't realised that her comment wasn't exactly flattering, "What are you doing here? Cruger will toss you back into containment for this".

"I don't care", Charlie groaned as she slowly sat up, "you've seen the extra muscle arrive and you're going to need all the help you can get".

Syd frowned at the green ranger, "How did you know about that?"

Charlie waived her morpher in the air, "Used the radio function, been listening in all afternoon". A loud blast immediately got the attention of the B Squad ranger, "Gunshots", Charlie gasped, "now I'm definitely going with you", she grabbed Syd hand and practically dragged her from her lookout perch.

The gunshot had also gotten the attention of the other SPD officers and soldiers in the area. Some of them weren't even bothering to hide their presence any more. One or two even openly gawped at the sight of the green B Squad ranger dragging her team mate down the street, "Ears open and blasters ready", Syd was able to stammer out, despite the quick pace that Charlie was forcing her to move at.

"I seriously underestimated you Sydney", Charlie said when they paused at a small wooden hut, "you're a damn fine officer". Her few short weeks out of containment had forced Charlie to eat a lot of humble pie. A Squad had looked down on everyone when the truth was, everyone in SPD were excellent at their jobs. It only made her regret her past behaviour even more.

The pink ranger smiled gratefully at the praise but their moment was interrupted when the door to the shack opened, revealing an angry looking Sky, "I would say I'm surprised that you're here", he began slowly, "but I'm actually more surprised it took you this long to get here". Charlie remained stony faced under the intense glare of the red ranger, "You know that Cruger will be aware of your presence by now".

"That I can confirm", Bridge added as he stuck his head out the command post. He was rubbing his right ear whilst holding a headset at arm's length away from his body. Even from a distance everyone could recognised the angry barking voice as Commander Cruger's. The blue ranger offered the headset to Charlie, "I think it's for you".

Charlie took a deep breath and went to take the headset from Bridge. She was prepared to accept whatever punishment the Commander was about to dish out, even the inevitable return to containment. To her surprise Sky took the headset from Bridge and turned it off, "It would probably be a boring conversation anyway", the red ranger shrugged and tossed the headset back into the command post.

"Sky Tate deliberately breaking the rules", Charlie smirked, "I must've been a bad influence on you".

"Maybe", Sky replied, "you might be rude, arrogant and disobedient but you've done as much to ensure the success of this mission as anyone else". He extended his hand towards Charlie, "Which is why I'm exercising my authority as field commander, hand over your morpher". The green ranger hesitantly passed her morpher over to Sky who flipped it open and tapped a few commands into the keypad. The device flashed bright green before he handed it back to Charlie, "I've enabled the morphing capability", he continued, "can't have you going in there unprotected".

Charlie didn't know what to say as she silently accepted the morpher back from Sky, "I don't deserve this", he muttered softly.

"Hey you're one of us", Syd nudged her in the shoulder, "no point having a green ranger that can't morph".

"You can't begin to atone if we don't give you the chance", Bridge added with a small smile.

"Welcome to B Squad rookie", Sky patted Charlie on the shoulder and began to lead them towards the warehouse.

The green ranger smiled warmly before realising what Sky had said, "Hey I'm no rookie Tate", she snapped.

"You're the new member of the team aren't you?" he shrugged, "plus you have nicknames for the rest of us, only fair that you have your own". Outwardly Charlie didn't look impressed but inside she finally felt part of the team, although that would probably all change when Commander Cruger was through with her after the mission, "C Squad, Captain Waite, check in", Sky called into his morpher.

" _C Squad ready for action",_ a voice called back.

" _Waite here",_ another voice responded.

"Possible hostile action", Sky continued with his orders, "SPD officer in danger. B Squad is going in to offer assistance, C Squad secure the perimeter don't let anyone escape. Captain Waite your units will back us up, come in through all entrances one minute after my signal". There were a couple of confirmation calls back through his morpher confirming that his orders had been received. "What do you say rookie, fancy leading the call on your first assignment?" Sky said the green ranger.

"Why not", Charlie shrugged, "probably be my last assignment once Cruger's through with me". With everyone in a line she called out loudly, "SPD, Emergency".

It had been a while since Charlie had morphed and it felt good to feel the familiar burst of power wash over her. If she was honest with herself, she had secretly admired the B Squad's uniforms. They looked much more professional than A Squad's which had the look of a last minute bodge job. She immediately noticed the difference between the suits though. The A Squad one had been designed for power and strength which sometimes impeded her mobility. Her new green suit felt much more flexible, "Shame this is the last time I'll wear it", she mumbled sadly to herself.

That was a concern for the future though. Pulling out her Deltamax Striker, she joined her team mates in a charge towards the warehouse. They had a friend to rescue.


	12. The Bigger Picture

_Chapter 12 – The Bigger Picture_

Inside the warehouse Z slowly backed away from Paolo DiAngelo and his father. The younger DiAngelo was glaring angrily at the body at his feet whilst Michael carefully observed the twenty or so women in front of him. The yellow ranger had to buy some time, surely B Squad must've heard the gunshot from their position. Knowing Sky he would leading the charge through the door within a couple of minutes. That might be too long to save the women though, the DiAngelo's didn't strike her as patient people.

She drew level with Amanda and moved her head as close as she dared, "The rear exit is unguarded", she whispered, "if something happens to me, move towards that position as quickly as you can".

Amanda frowned briefly before quickly resuming a neutral expression, "How did you know that?" came the brunette's response.

"Listen Amanda I'm the one they want", Z began, "there's a squad of SPD officers in the area who are on their way but I need to buy them time". Z was impressed that Amanda kept any trace of emotion off her face, "If something happens to me-".

"Hey no talking", one of the hired thugs shouted out from nearby.

"Something to share ladies", Michael asked them with a smooth voice, "maybe we should give you both a thorough searching. Maybe your employers at SPD are listening to this conversation", he added with venom.

Z was about to step forward but she noticed that Amanda was slowly brushing her hair away from her ear. It was then she noticed something inside the brunette's ear, a small flesh coloured earpiece. That wasn't the only surprising thing, it looked exactly the same as the one's SPD issued. Suddenly Amanda's face steeled into a mask of determination, "Delgardo, stand down that's an order from command", she hissed with a steely tone.

The yellow ranger didn't offer much of a response, she was too surprised to learn that Amanda knew her real name. She watched as the brunette slowly stepped forward, her heels clicking on the cold stone floor, "Well well", Michael flashed a predatory smile, "who do we have here? Perhaps you would so kind to identify yourself girly".

Amanda glared at the crime boss before casually flicking her right wrist. Something appeared in her hand, a small leather wallet embossed with the SPD logo, "Kenzi Hammond, SPD Special Operations", she flashed her ID badge at the man, "Michael DiAngelo you're under arrest on suspicion of charges too numerous to list right now". Another flick of the wrist made her ID badge disappear, "If you could come along quietly that would be greatly appreciated".

Z stared at the brunette in disbelief. She had heard rumours of a Special Ops branch within SPD, a team so elite that only High Command knew who they were. They would often spend months, even years undercover, attempting to bring the scum of the universe to justice. Special Ops had a reputation for excellence that exceeded even the old A Squad and now one of them was standing in front of her.

The DiAngelo's and their thugs weren't so impressed with Kenzi though. Michael began to quietly chuckle, escalating slowly to a full bellied laugh. Emboldened by their leader's confidence, the other DiAngelo's began to laugh at the woman, even the hired goons joined in. Throughout the laugher Kenzi stood impassively barely moving a muscle. The stillness of the brunette caught the DiAngelo's off guard and despite their numbers, nervousness began to fill the room, "Finished?" Kenzi snorted, an SPD style morpher appearing in her hand, "because I think it's time to pass judgement".

A clicking sound filled the room and Z instantly recognised it as several safeties being removed from numerous weapons. Despite the orders of this Special Ops officer, the yellow ranger slowly began to reach for her morpher, "You've got guts girl", Paolo scoffed, "but there's only one of you and lots of us".

"Two of us", Z moved to stand beside Kenzi, "Elizabeth Delgardo SPD", she flashed her morpher, "fancy taking on two SPD Officers?"

"I told you to stand down Officer Delgardo", Kenzi groaned.

"Yeah, well I'm not good at following orders", Z replied firmly, "my new partner's been a bad influence on me. Plus it would be a shame to see you turned into sweet cheese at the hands of these goons".

A second gunshot from Paolo, this one aimed at the roof stopped their conversation, "So there are two of you, we've still got you outnumbered".

"Oh but we're no ordinary SPD Officers", Kenzi smirked and turned to Z, "Officer Delgardo, yellow ranger correct?"

The mention of the word ranger made a number of guards tense up. B Squad was well respected not just in Newtech City but across the whole country. Having one of their officers in their midst was bad news, "Correct Officer Hammond", Z confirmed, "does that thing come with morphing capability?" she pointed at the device in Kenzi's hand.

"Nope this is just a communicator and judgement scanner", Kenzi made the box disappear just as a device appeared on her left wrist. Z resolved to ask the brunette how she made stuff disappear instantly if they survived the battle. The item now sitting on Kenzi's wrist wasn't as sleek as SPD's equipment but somehow Z knew it was another morpher, "This however is something my mother passed onto me", the wrist mounted device had a cover which the brunette flicked open to reveal a numeric keypad, "fancy a yellow ranger team up?"

Suddenly something clicked in the back of Z's mind, she knew the two tone hairstyle was familiar from her ranger history lessons. The surname and the mention of yellow ranger put all the pieces in place, "It would be an honour", Z smiled.

Z noticed something flash across a window at the far end of the warehouse, four brightly coloured figures moving in their direction. Seconds later a couple of helmeted head poked through a tiny gap in the door. She held back a gasp at the sight of a green ranger amongst their number. What the hell was Charlie doing here and more importantly, who had activated her morpher?

She noticed Charlie press a single finger against her helmet roughly where her lips would have been. The green ranger then pointed over to Sky who was holding up three fingers. Z could tell that Kensi had seen this too and shared a brief look. Both Sky and Charlie aimed their weapons towards the DiAngleo's just as the red ranger counted down on his hand.

When Sky's countdown reached zero, both he and Charlie opened fire on the group with stun blasts. With everyone's attention on the red and green ranger's, it allowed Z and Kenzi enough time to morph, "SPD Emergency", Z called.

Kenzi called loudly, "Let's Rocket", and punched the code 3-3-5 into her morpher's keypad. A flash of light later and the yellow Space Ranger stood in her place.

A fraction of a second later the main door burst open with Bridge in the lead closely followed by Syd. Z watched as the blue ranger rolled a couple of small cylinders across the floor in their direction, "Flash bangs", she called over to Kenzi. Turning her back, she moved towards the startled potential escorts, "Get down and cover your ears", Z shouted.

The stun grenades exploded with a flash of dazzling light and an ear piercing screech. Her suit tuned out the worst effects of the blast but it still made her feel a little uncomfortable. A quick glance to her left told her that Kenzi was feeling the same way. The DiAngelo's, footsoldiers and the girls who didn't follow Z's order were feeling the full effect of the grenade. One thug staggered in Z's direction, tumbling over her crouched body. The yellow ranger put him out of his misery with her morpher, judgement mode found him guilty of a crime of some sort fairly quickly.

A pair of white gloved hands pulled her back to her feet and a quick glance at the green spandex told her it was Charlie, "Did Cruger lift your exclusion?" the yellow ranger asked.

"Not exactly", Charlie grumbled, stunning a guard with a round from her Deltamax Striker, "been following the mission through the new radio in our morphers, Sky was the one who let me morph". If Charlie could've seen Z's eyes, she would've seen the stony glare of an annoyed yellow ranger. How could Charlie do something as reckless as jump into a mission that Commander Cruger had explicitly ordered her to stay away from? This would surely be the final strike that would see the green ranger back in containment.

Z was about to put that question to Charlie but the green ranger must've read her thought, "You were in trouble, I couldn't stay away", she said firmly. Z's heart fluttered at Charlie's words, it was an unexpected feeling but not an unpleasant one. It also threw up a number of confusing questions, primarily why she was feeling giddy with happiness that Charlie had risked her freedom to help her out?

"Can we put the greeting card moment to one side and deal with these guys", an annoyed sounding Kenzi shouted over the general din of battle. Seeing SPD's B Squad burst through the door and the appearance of the legendary yellow Space Ranger had caused a number of the fired muscle to flee. Those who had stayed to fight were dropping like flies into containment cards. Kenzi herself snagged a large man attempting to run out the rear exit that Z had pointed out to her earlier.

"Just like your old man", Z heard Charlie mumbled under her breath. She and Z were standing back to back trading blaster fire with a few of the more dedicated henchmen.

"Give it up Michael", Sky bellowed over the noise, "there's no escape from here".

"I don't need to escape from here", Michael DiAngelo shot back, "I have friends in high places red ranger, I'll be out of containment before you know it".

With the rear of the warehouse cleared out, only Michael and Paolo DiAngelo remained standing. The eldest DiAngelo son ducked behind a stack of barrels and started spraying his weapon in the direction of the Rangers, "Damn it we can't get a clean shot", Syd cursed, trading blasts with Paolo.

"Charlie, Z, keep Senior busy over there", Sky ordered the yellow and green rangers. His Delta Blasters were stronger than the standard issue weapons that the rest of his team had but he didn't want to risk using lethal force. The DiAngleo's were highly prized criminals, the intel they could supply on their network would be invaluable. On the flip side his team were under heavy fire, contrary to popular opinion their suits could be pierced by bullets. The material was designed to counteract laser blasts and energy weapons. 'Low tech' firearms were on the way out so Ranger suit design had followed this trend.

Sliding over to Sky's position, Kenzi quickly flashed her ID badge under his nose, "Lethal force is authorised if necessary", she instructed the red ranger.

"Special Ops", he replied, almost sounding a little impressed, "I hope it doesn't come to that". Spying some containers behind Paolo, Sky fired both his blasters in their direction. The metal boxes exploded in a shower of shrapnel and several large pieces cut into Paolo. The dark haired man crumpled to the ground with numerous cuts across his arms, torso and face, "Bridge contain him, that will stop him bleeding out", the red ranger ordered his deputy.

"Paolo", Michael DiAngelo bellowed from the side of the room, "you pigs will pay for this", he spat viciously. Behind he could reach for his weapon, Charlie stood in his path with a blaster pointed at his head, "Even you would stand in my way?" he said to the green ranger.

"Why wouldn't I?" Charlie asked in confusion, "I'm part of SPD, locking scum like you up in tiny little card is my job".

Michael chuckled darkly, "You know, your parents could get you where you belong. You shouldn't be taking orders from people like this, you're a Matthews so start acting like one".

Charlie's arm began to waiver and Z wondered what was going through her mind. Her few conversations with the green ranger about her family weren't overly positive. Z got the impression that Charlie hated her parents and the feeling was mutual from the other side. Why would Michael DiAngleo bring them up now though? Suddenly Charlie recalled her helmet, her eyes blazing with hatred, "What do you know about my parents?" she hissed dangerously.

"More than you do", Michael smirked, "I know how you got into the Academy to begin with, I even know how that very building came into existence". He leaned a little closer from his crouched position, "Money Charlotte", he continued, "your family's money specifically".

The green ranger's finger twitched on the trigger, with the barrel pointed directly at his skull even a stun blast could be fatal. Sensing her partner needed help, Z grasped Charlie by her free arm, "Don't, he's just trying to get to you".

"It's working", Michael's smile twisted into a malevolent grin, "would your family's money get you out of jail again?"

"They didn't buy me out of prison", Charlie shouted, her voice reverberating off the walls, "they've done nothing for me since the day I left home".

"Are you so sure about that?" the head of the DiAngelo family taunted, "disowned you might've been but you still carry the family name. Your parents wouldn't want a Matthews that was a disappointment to that name".

Doubt was creeping into Charlie's mind, Z could see that written over her face. Fortunately she was saved from further torment by the appearance of Kenzi. The SPD Special Ops officer strolled over with her helmet in hand, "That's enough out of you Michael", she began calmly, "you've upset quite a lot of people".

"I'll be out in a few days", Michael shrugged off the threat of prison easily.

"If you were staying on Earth that would be true", a twisted grin appeared on Kenzi's face, "but you've been dealing off world too, especially on Karovia and Mirinoi. Those places fall under our jurisdiction and far out the reach of your contacts". The triumphant look had disappeared from Michael's face, "Nothing more to say? Shame, I do like the talkative ones".

Judgement mode on her device didn't take too long to decide that Michael DiAngleo was guilty. With one bright flash of light, his body disappeared inside a containment card. As Kenzi bent down to pick it up, she stated, "It wasn't all true Officer Matthews, that stuff that DiAngelo said".

"But some of it was", Charlie replied with a deflated voice, "has everything taunt aimed in my direction been true".

"Maybe this isn't the place for this conversation", Sky suggested as he, Bridge and Syd approached the three women, "I assume a full debriefing will be given", there was a brief pause before he added, "whoever you are".

Kenzi inspected the containment card, now containing an unhappy Michael DiAngelo, "MacKenzie Hammond, usually known as Kenzi, SPD Special Operations and the current yellow Space Ranger". She smiled at the other rangers, "There, now we know each other better". She rolled the card between her fingers and walked towards the rear entrance, "Debriefing at Delta Base in one hour, I need time to change into some proper clothes".

"I like her", Bridge said as he demorphed, scooping up a few containment cards along the way.

"You would", Syd snorted and followed her team mates example.

Z meanwhile gently rubbed Charlie's back in an attempt to comfort the green ranger. Her world had been severely shaken and there was still the risk of going back into containment for disobeying Commander Cruger's orders. "Don't listen to that idiot Matthews", Sky attempted to comfort his team mate, "you kicked everyone's ass at the Academy. Even if some money greased the wheels, you earned your place on A Squad".

"Yeah then promptly led it down the toilet", Charlie sniffed, "I appreciate the effort Tate but I want to be alone for a while". She powered down her suit fully and walked away, shoulders slumped in defeat. A heavy feeling washed over Z, someone she cared about was hurting and there wasn't a single thing she could do about it.


	13. A New Hope

_Chapter 13 – A New Hope  
_

Charlie had remained silent throughout the journey back to Delta Base. Not even the occasional, reassuring nudge from Z could improve her sour mood. The second the SPD cruiser pulled up in the parking lot, the green ranger leapt out like she had been scolded by the seat. She briefly caught a glimpse of the concerned looks on her team mate's face in the window of another cruiser but she ignored them. Walking alone through the corridors of the base, Charlie eventually found herself outside the cafeteria.

Pushing open the dull grey double doors Charlie was relieved to see the place deserted. She punched a couple of buttons on a nearby vending machine, pouring herself the strongest, blackest coffee the machine could manage. The beverages from this contraption usually tasted like warmed up mud but it was better than nothing.

The B Squad green ranger took a seat in the middle of the room, wrapping her cold hands around the warm coffee cup. Her thoughts were too preoccupied with family matters to be overly concerned with her future at SPD. Charlie had been aware for a very long time that some of her family's business hadn't been legitimate. You didn't acquire the wealth that the Matthews family did without bending a few rules along the way.

She had been introduced to numerous 'Uncle's' when she was younger, the most prominent being Uncle Bob from the neighbouring city of Corinth. Bob had been a smooth talker and always came with a treat for the young Charlie. It was only when she got older that Charlie realised 'Uncle Bob' was a notorious gangster , the head of the Scorpion Cartel. She had been eleven when Bob got into trouble in his native city and had been driven into hiding, it had been all over the national news. That was probably the initial crack in the relationship with her family. That wedge only got bigger until Charlie left home at eighteen.

Throughout her career at SPD she had tried to shake off the shadow of her family's money. The rumours of her getting an easy path to the top never seemed to go away. Charlie was nowhere near as wealthy as she had been during her childhood. She had been able to siphon off some of her trust fund before her father cut her off. That still sat largely untouched in a high interest account and at no time had she flashed her money to get an easier ride through the SPD Academy. It didn't matter to anyone that Commander Cruger was as straight as an arrow and would never accept a bribe. But if Michael DiAngelo was to be believed, there was someone within SPD who was. The knowledge that her impressive career could be one big lie was burning away at Charlie's soul.

Time passed quickly for Charlie and her coffee remained untouched. She barely even registered Z's arrival in the cafeteria, "It's time, Cruger's waiting for us", the yellow ranger said softly. She had changed back into her SPD uniform and her hair was still damp from the shower. Charlie's legs were reluctant to comply with her request to move and it wasn't until Z gently grasped her hand that her focus finally returned to the present. The touch of the yellow ranger's hand filled her with warmth and the reassuring smile drew her gently out of her funk.

Charlie stood up, the chair scraping on the floor. To her surprise Z didn't realise the grip on her hand and the pair walked hand in hand towards the elevator. Even during the ride up, the yellow ranger kept a firm grip on Charlie's hand, tracing her thumb over the back of the green ranger's palm. Without thinking Charlie rested her head on Z's shoulder and to her joy the yellow ranger didn't shrug her off. If anything she could feel Z relax into the touch.

The pair could've stayed like that forever but the electronic voice from the elevator announced their arrival on the command floor. They instantly separated, straightening out their uniforms in the process, "You'll be fine", Z attempted to reassure her. Charlie appreciated the attempt but it would take a miracle to escape confinement.

The two rangers entered the Command Room where Sky, Bridge, Syd and Command Cruger were waiting. Also present was Kenzi Hammond, dressed in similar uniform to the previous Space Rangers who came a generation ago. The only exception was that instead of the grey pants and jacket, Kenzi's uniform was a deep navy colour. Underneath her jacket was a fitted yellow top indicating her ranger status, "Good job B Squad", Cruger announced, "the DiAngelo's have been successfully neutralised and their network will struggle to recover from this".

"I would also like to extend my thanks on behalf of Supreme Command", Kenzi added, "my father in particular was extremely happy with the outcome of the mission". Her gaze shifted to Sky, "He was particularly impressed with your command decisions Officer Tate". Sky's eyes widen at the praise from the Special Ops officer, "I would like to apologise to you Officer Delgardo".

"Me?" Z asked in confusion, "I don't understand".

Kenzi sighed deeply, "It wasn't your cover that was blown, it was mine", she paused and almost looked ashamed by her failure, "your undercover teacher was clearly better than mine". Charlie was certain that Kenzi's gaze turned in her direction but she didn't feel like she had earned the respect of the officer.

"A full debriefing will follow another time once we have processed all the arrests", Cruger continued, "until then you're all dismissed" .Charlie frowned for a moment, surely she wasn't going to get away with her disobedience that easily. She was just about to leave when Cruger barked, "Not you Matthews, we need to have a talk about your behaviour today". The other members of B Squad looked apologetically at their green ranger, none more so that Z. Reluctantly the quartet shuffled out the room.

The doors shut behind them and for almost a minute, Cruger stared impassively at the green ranger. Charlie could feel the intense glare of the Command burning into her but decided to wait until the Sirian spoke, "Well?" he began, "I'm waiting for an explanation Officer Matthews".

"I couldn't let them face those numbers alone Sir", Charlie replied slowly, "if you want an apology you're not going to get one. Knowing the team were facing those odds it was the right thing to do. I'm sure you would've done the same thing too".

"We're not talking about me", Cruger snapped irritably. The Sirian rubbed his eyes, probably attempting to stave off an oncoming headache, "What am I going to do with your Charlie?"

"If I might interject", Kenzi spoke up, Charlie was surprised that she was still in the room, "from what I understand Officer Matthews contributed significantly to the success of this assignment. If it wasn't for her training, Officer Delgardo would not have successfully integrated herself with the potential escorts". Cruger grunted under his breath, reluctantly conceding the Special Ops officer's point, "Her orders from my father still apply, in fact now we know there is a confirmed connection between the DiAngelo and Matthews families, her presence is even more important".

"Is it true what he said?" Charlie asked, "has my family been secretly feeding money into SPD to ensure my success?"

Cruger and Kenzi looked at each other, "Yes and no", the Commander replied, "we've been tracking suspicious payments from your family's account since your first weeks in the Academy". Charlie's shoulders slumped in defeat, "Having said that, your performance warranted your position on merit. There was no pressure on me to promote you prematurely".

Charlie was slightly surprised by the Commander's statement, why would her family pump money into SPD if not to ensure her promotion? "We do suspect that the payments ensured the removal of obstacles in your path and in the path of others", Kenzi continued, "the injury to former A Squad leader Jonny Peters in particular. We suspect that someone deliberately botched the mission that led to his injury". Kenzi paused for a moment to allow that information to sink, "That's why Special Ops decided to run its own operation today, we were unaware that B Squad was also running its own operation".

Now Charlie was genuinely intrigued and angry, Jonny was her mentor and knowing that someone could've deliberately put him out of commission just to ensure her promotion really made her blood boil, "What do I need to do?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"You're assuming that I'm not going to throw your ass back into prison for deliberately going against my orders", Cruger growled.

"With all due respect Doggie, your orders sucked", Kenzi snorted. Charlie had to admire the bravery of the young officer, being the child of the legendary Andros and Ashley Hammond gave you some leeway but calling out Commander Cruger probably crossed a line.

"Did you ever think my maybe my orders had a purpose Officer Hammond?" Cruger grunted in response.

It took Charlie a couple of moments to put the pieces together from Cruger's veiled statement, "This was all a test wasn't it", Charlie grumbled, "one of Doggie Cruger's infamous 'let's give some ridiculous order and see how they react' jobs". Now it all made sense to Charlie, the last few weeks had been one big test to see where Charlie's loyalties lay. The combative attitude aimed in her direction from Cruger had also solidified the team around Charlie. She had admire the willingness of Cruger to do whatever it took for the team to accept her, even if she was unhappy with the way he went about it.

"Would I do such a thing?" Cruger asked with a tone of innocence, "you still disobeyed a direct order Matthews, therefore, you're suspended from duty for two weeks". Charlie nodded solemnly, "Perhaps this will give you a chance to dig into your family tree, see who would want to damage SPD in this way".

"Thank you Sir", Charlie felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She wasn't going back into a containment card.

"I'll be watching you carefully from now on though, try to be a little more respectful", Cruger sighed in exasperation.

Charlie nodded and gave the Commander a firm salute, exiting the room before he could change his mind, "Hey Charlie wait up", she heard Kenzi call out. The Special Ops officer jogged down the corridor after her, "This might give you a few leads", she handed over a data stick to the green ranger. "I'm hearing good things about Earth branch, heard some good stuff about you too".

"Yeah probably until about a year ago", Charlie snorted.

Kenzi gave her a half smile in return, "Try not to be too hard on yourself" she patted the green ranger on the shoulder, "I'm sure you know the story of my Aunt Karone?" Charlie nodded, what ranger didn't know the story and history of the famous silver Space Ranger. "Don't let this eat away at you", she continued, "despite her claims I don't think Aunt Karone is ever truly happy. She used to be but after what happened to Uncle Zhane", her voice trailed off and a sad look descended over her features.

Charlie took on the wisdom of the Special Ops officer, maybe there was still a chance for her. The descent in the elevator was quiet and soon they reached the main entrance. The rest of B Squad were waiting patiently, eager for some news of their team mate, "You've got a good squad around you", Kenzi smiled, "especially that girlfriend of yours, she's a really cutie".

"You mean Lizzy?" Charlie stumbled over her words, "no, no she's not my girlfriend", she said defensively.

Kenzi simply smirked in response, "Give it time", she extended her hand to the green ranger, "good to meet you Charlie, I'm sure we'll be see much more of each other in the future". Charlie nodded, returning the shake enthusiastically. As she approached B Squad Charlie thought about Kenzi's words, she liked Z but did the yellow ranger feel the same way? The optimistic smile on Z's face as Charlie approached gave some clue.

"Still here?" Sky said in a dry tone, "and I was already filling your vacant spot mentally".

"You'd missed me and you know it Tate", Charlie smirked, "but yes I'm still here, suspended for two weeks though", she added glumly.

"Well it's better than nothing", Bridge smiled and threw his arm around his new team mate, "now it did come to our attention that you haven't been fully initiated into B Squad".

"An initiation ceremony, can't be as bad as the one A Squad put me through when I made pink ranger", Charlie shrugged.

"Bridge is going to feed you warm toast-", Sky began.

"Warm buttery toast", the blue ranger corrected.

"Yes whatever", Sky snapped, "Bridge will feed you warm buttery toast whilst Syd talks you through the finer point of colour co-ordinating your wardrobe".

Charlie blinked for a couple of seconds with a blank expression, "I stand corrected, that sounds horrific". A look of annoyance flashed over the pink ranger's face before she aimed a playful slap at Sky's arm.

"Don't worry about them", Z interlocked her arm with Charlie's, "I protect you from those nasty people".

"My hero", Charlie said warmly, drawing a deep blush from the yellow ranger, "already team lead the way but I warn you, I have a very high tolerance for toast". Z and the rest of B Squad led her away towards their quarters and a broad smile flashed over Charlie's face. For the first time is over ten years at SPD, maybe even longer, she had finally found a place to call home.

 _ **A/N -** Part 1 of this story complete. Next up is a single chapter interlude set in 2006 from the viewpoint of Hexagon chief suit Philip Spader then we go back to the future for part 2 which is set a few months after this chapter. _


	14. Interlude

_Interlude_

 _Hexagon Headquarters – February 7 2006_

It had been just over two years since Philip Spader had set foot inside the Hexagon building. The city of Angel Grove was thriving and you wouldn't believe that it had been devastated by Dark Specter just eight years ago. The Hexagon organisation and its Power Ranger association had seen money pour into the city. Businesses big and small wanted to bring their companies to Angel Grove and play some sort of part in the biggest growing organisation in the country.

The Space Rangers refusal to join had initially set the project back but that was soon corrected in 2001. Two refugees from an intergalactic war with a creature known as Grumm had arrived on their doorstep. Anubis Cruger and Kat Manx brought knowledge and technology far in advance of anything on Earth, plugging the gap that would've been filled by Andros and his team. Manx in particular proved to be excellent with morphing technology, working closely with the existing team to accelerate their program. They now had two more sets of morphers ready to go with plans for at least two more.

The experiments weren't without their problems though. A group of scientists had been exposed to potentially deadly radiation during one for the tests. It was only the quick and brave actions of Cruger that saved everyone in the lab. Soon afterwards the scientists began to show symptoms of a mystery illness. Months later it became apparent that their DNA had been altered, showing strange mutations that enabled them to manipulate energy on a molecular level. The group became lab rats or more accurately breeders, in an attempt to see if their mutation could be passed on.

The reason for this became clear very quickly, the scientists were slowly dying. Only Doctor Manx remained unharmed due to her alien DNA. One by one the five scientists died but not before a child was born to each of them. They were instantly taken away and offered for adoption on the pretence that their development was carefully monitored. This was part of the reason for Spaders visit to Hexagon today, to finalise the adoption of the last child.

Spader had moved on from Hexagon, taking political office as Governor of California in November 2003 but he still had an interest in the company. The success of Hexagon had in part led to his election but he couldn't overlook the sympathy of the public he garnered after losing part of his hand a few weeks before the election. He had attempted to contain the Thunder Rangers inside the building but he wasn't expecting a rescue by a group of rogue ninjas. He had been overconfident and it had cost him his thumb and forefinger. His spin team had gone into overdrive though, painting him as a heroic figure that thwarted a potential terrorist attack. An outsider for victory at the time, the positive press saw him elected by a landslide.

Stepping through the main door and into the foyer where that incident had taken place, Spader noticed the man who replaced him waiting for his arrival. Andrew Tye was a corporate man and to Spader's delight, very much a yes man. He was in his early forties a little short in stature with his brown hair parted to one side, "Philip", Andrew greeted him warmly, "thank you for clearing some time in your busy schedule".

"Always happy to return to a place that I once called home", Spader replied, "I understand there's something you wished to show me, perhaps we can walk and talk". The two men walked past reception, through the door and into one of the many grey walled corridors that made up the building, "How is the final child of Doctor Manx's team doing?" he asked once they were through the door.

"The child is doing well", Andrew began, "we are still waiting for his powers to manifest, however, he does carry the same mutation as his father". There was an uncomfortable silence between the pair as they continued to walk, "The mother though seems to have become attached to the child, even giving him a name".

"Yes I was intrigued by that in your report", Spader snorted, "I do wonder where she came up with the name Bridge".

A small chuckle came from Andrew's lips, "Something to do with the child being a bridge between the different aspects of humanity".

"Bloody new age hippies", Spader said dismissively, "I understand that the father is now in hospital and his prospects don't look good". Andrew nodded slowly, "The moment his heart stops being I want a team at her door to take the child".

"And the mother?" Andrew asked but deep down he knew the answer.

"We agreed at the start that there would be no witnesses left, we deliberately kept Manx and Cruger out the loop because they're useful to us", Spader replied coldly, "take the child and dispose of the mother, make it look like an accident".

The walk continued in silence for a few minutes, the walk to the primary hangar took them around three sides of the hexagonal shaped building. Spader knew that Andrew Tye was uncomfortable taking tough and dirty decisions like this. Fortunately the other four sets of parents had agreed to the very large cash settlement in exchange for their silence. The father of the child known as Bridge was the final scientist alive and the other parents of the children were all civilians without knowledge of the genetic mutation. They were acutely aware of their role as 'genetic donor' from the beginning and greedily accepted the money, apart from this final parent obviously.

"Oliver and Scott are getting suspicious about what we're keeping here", Andrew changed the topic of conversation, "they recognise some of the parts that our recovery team has brought in".

Spader didn't acknowledge the comment initially as he considered the words. Tommy Oliver and Jason Scott were the two most senior Rangers in the project and were well respected. Unfortunately for Spader that respect allowed them too much freedom inside in the building, poking their noses into things they shouldn't be, "Maybe it's time to bring them onto the board", Spader smiled, "the public board mind you. Raise their salaries to one notch below Director, heroes like Oliver and Scott like to think they're making a difference so let's allow them to think they are".

"As you wish Philip", Andrew nodded, making a quick note on his PDA.

"I take it they are the only ones complaining?" Spader asked out of curiosity.

"Surprisingly having six figure salaries cuts the majority of complaints", Andrew smirked, "the opportunities and doors that Hexagon opens is keeping the former rangers extremely happy". Despite his sometimes tricky relationship with his successor at Hexagon, Spader had to admire Andrew Tye's brutal honesty. The team of active Rangers usually rotated itself around once a year, although it had been a couple of years since the Dino Thunder team had been active. Rumours of a growing threat in the city of Briarwood had yet to be fully investigated though.

The good thing about the short lived active careers of Rangers was that once their threat was out the way, they usually slipped quietly into retirement. Occasionally they were called upon again but the daily rigors of battle were normally handled by someone else. After living constantly on edge for a year or more, even the most committed Ranger felt like some time off and the generous retainer offered by Hexagon allowed them to do exactly that.

The two men eventually reached the main hangar, an area so vast that it dominated the entire "C Wing" of the Hexagon building. Scattered throughout the hangar was an impressive jumble of metal, wires and circuit boards. To some it was a scrap yard of dead machines but to Spader, this could be the future, "There's much more than I expected", the Governor of California whistled. It took a lot to impress Philip Spader but the salvage teams had exceeded his expectation.

"The Moon is a child's toy chest for my team of engineers", Andrew replied, "it's fortunate that Cruger was able to negotiate agreeable terms with NASADA, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to conduct so many trips". Scattered over various table were the remains of some Cogs, the footsoldiers of the now defunct Machine Empire. A little further down were the carcasses of other robots, more unique than the Cogs in terms of styling, "The Machine Empire's final Generals", Andrew answered Spader's silent question, "fortunately we have been able to conceal these away from the various red ranger's who work here".

Moving past the smaller robots Spader's attention was immediately grabbed by the giant mecha in the middle of the hangar. It was in a number of different pieces but it was instantly recognisable as a Megazord, "That's the emblem of the Space Rangers", he pointed at the envelope like design on the side of the wreckage, "how did that end up on the Moon?"

"Uncertain", Andrew began, "since the team was reluctant to share information when they returned to Earth in 1998 we have no exact way of knowing and to avoid tipping anyone off, we haven't asked too many questions". An evil smirk flashed across Spader's face, he knew there was a reason he trust Andrew with Hexagon, "From my understanding this is the Delta Megazord, lost in battle during a particularly nasty fight".

The grin didn't vanish from Spader's face, it was like Christmas had come early. He picked up the head of one of the destroyed General, ignoring the ridiculous bug like features of the machine, "I have recently created a new initiative by the code name of Alphabet Soup", the State Governor announced, "have this lot shipped out to the facility in the Mojave Desert as soon as you can". He dropped the dismembered head into the pile of scrap parts, "Keeping this here is too dangerous, let's give the children some new toys to play with". He extended his hand to Andrew, "Good job here Director Tye, when the time comes your loyalty will be remembered". Andrew briefly frowned at the comment but Spader noticed he quickly dismissed it before graciously returning the hand shake.

With no other business inside Hexagon Headquarters, Spader excused himself and returned to the main entrance. A couple of people recognised him on the way out but he didn't feel like stopping for a chat. He had some good news to report to his superiors, they would be interested to know that their plans could be accelerated thanks to the hard work of Manx and Cruger. Maybe he should grant the pair their wish of opening up a proper alien refugee center on the planet to thank them, "Oh, that might actually work out just nicely", he chuckled darkly, "be careful what you wish for".

He found his limo parked out front and gave a stiff nod to his driver. Once inside the rear seat he immediately closed the privacy screen and tapped a couple of buttons on the center panel. A waveform suddenly appeared on the screen, " _I trust you have some good news to report Philip",_ a distorted voice stated through the speakers.

"Not even a hello, I'm a little hurt", Spader chuckled, "the pieces are falling into place quicker than I thought, at this rate we'll be in position to proceed with your plan with eight years". There was a tense silence, "I trust this is satisfactory", Spader added with trepidation.

" _I've waited long enough for my vengeance",_ the voice responded, " _but a few more years won't hurt. To achieve total domination, sometimes you need to be patient. That's a lesson I learned the hard way Mr Spader and don't you forget it"._ Spader nodded, even though the disembodied voice couldn't see him, " _How about your political ambitions Philip, we need you in the top job before we can move"._

"I'm aware", Spader began, "I feel it's too soon to begin a campaign for 2008, besides the chances of a Republican winning after eight years of that Bush moron would be slim". He leaned back a little in his seat, "No, I have something much more cunning and subtle in mind before launching a campaign".

" _Alright Philip, you've got my attention",_ the voice began, " _I'm listening"._

Spader smirked, "Cruger and Manx want to turn Angel Grove into a refugee center for aliens, a stupid idea by itself but it could be useful for my plans". He tapped the panel again and the screen showed a map of the United States, "The general population of the US sees aliens as invaders and why shouldn't they, for the last thirteen years our country has been attacked by various different alien fleets".

The image changed again, this time focusing on the east coast of America, "California is far too liberal when it comes to aliens", Spader continued, "any center set up in my state would be popular which is why it needs to be created on the Eastern Seaboard maybe somewhere like New York State or Pennsylvania".

" _Why those states?"_ the mystery voice asked.

"Come now my friend, I know you've been out of touch with Earth for a while but you're not totally ignorant", Spader laughed. "The former heavy industry parts of the Union have been marginalised by the last couple of administrations and if the Democrats win like I suspect they will in 2008, that will continue to happen. These areas fear change, it threatens to wash away their jobs, industry and maybe even their identity".

" _And by placing an alien refugee center in the area, it will only serve to marginalise them even further, at least in their minds"._

Spader snorted, "Spoken like a true politician, if they fear and hate foreign nations just think what the reaction will be when actual aliens show up in their midst". He opened up a central panel in his seat to reveal a bottle of whiskey and a glass. He poured himself a healthy measure and took a sip, "All it needs is for a heroic, strong leader to sweep in and promise change, to make them great again and they'll eat it up".

" _I assume this leader you talk about is you?"_ the voice asked, _"but why would the Governor of the alien loving state of California suddenly seek election on an anti alien immigration ticket?"_

"Very good question", Spader answered, "one that I'm still working on but trust me, it'll be explosive". After taking another swig of whiskey he continued, "There's a few cities I have in mind to become the home of the refugee center, I'll mail you the details when I get back to the office".

" _This is turning into an expensive business",_ the voice stated in annoyance, " _you'll have to finance some of this yourself"._

"Not to worry, I've got just the contact in mind", Spader replied, "I think I'll give him a call now", he leaned forward towards the screen, "until next time". Ending the call quickly, Spader began cycling through his contacts until he found the appropriate person. Pushing the call button he waited patiently until someone answered, "Richard Matthews, it's Philip Spader here", he greeted warmly, "how's that delightful young daughter of yours".

" _Absolutely wonderful",_ Richard Matthews answered, " _little Charlotte is excelling in all areas of study"._ There was a brief paused before Richard continued, " _But I'm sure you didn't call me to discuss my daughters education"._

Spader chuckled warmly, "Quick as always Dickie, but you're quite correct", he finished the rest of his whiskey before continuing, "I have a business proposal for you Richard, one that will see you set for the rest of your life". A grin was now plastered on his face, everything was falling into place nicely.

 _ **A/N -** Brief recap of events and a set up for the next phase of the not just this story but the next part of the Hexagon series. Next time we go back to 2026 about four months from where we left off in chapter 13_


	15. Gathering Storm Clouds

_Chapter 15 – Gathering Storm Clouds  
_

 _June 6 2026 – Delta Base, Newtech City_

Several months had passed since the arrest of Michael DiAngelo and various members of his crime family. News of his capture had spread across the world and out into the various human colonies in the Galaxy, drawing more attention to the already famous member's of SPD's B Squad. B Squad had been largely taken out of duty rotations and focused more on training recruits. Commander Cruger had spun this as an attempt to reduce the attention on the team and whilst this was true, there was a more pressing reason behind the Commander's actions.

A couple of weeks after the arrest, B Squad had been attacked by a group of hired thugs in retribution. Fortunately for the Rangers they were more than a match for the hired muscle but it highlighted how much danger they were in. There was still a potential traitor within SPD and only someone who had knowledge of their duty rosters would've known where they would be at the moment of the attack. B Squad wasn't confined to the base but none of them had ventured too far away from headquarters since that day.

The District Attorney's offices for Newtech, Baltimore, Karovia and Miranoi City were meeting to discuss the upcoming trial of Michael DiAngelo, each of them arguing about where the mob boss should be tried. He was a resident of Baltimore and was wanted for various crimes in all of those locations but he had been arrested in Newtech City. Against Cruger's advice, the DA for the city was determined to return DiAngelo to Earth and have tried in Newtech. If this happened it was likely that B Squad would be called upon to provide security, painting an even bigger target on their backs.

All of the politics of the situation were far from the minds of B Squad that morning though. There were no classes today and the team were relaxing with a game of flag football, using the infield of the bases athletics track for their field. The game was two a side with Sky acting as quarterback for both teams, Charlie and Syd were on one side with Bridge and Z on the other. "Bring it in guys", the red ranger dragged the green and pink ranger's into the huddle, "Bridge is covering you too tight Syd but Z can't keep up with your speed Charlie".

"What's the call then coach", Charlie looked out of the huddle towards the defensive duo on the other side, "fly down the side?"

"Something a little more devious", Sky responded with a devilish smile.

"Clock's running Tate", Z called out from her end of the field, "what's the matter, too scared to call a play?"

Sky rolled his eyes and glared at the green ranger, "You're a bad influence on her, you know that?" he said with an accusing tone.

"You love us really Tate but Lizzy's right, let's get on with it", Charlie snorted.

The red ranger finished explaining his play before breaking them out the huddle. Charlie and Syd lined up as wide left and right receivers respectively and gave their leader a small nod of readiness, "Ready, set", he paused before grunting loudly, "hut!". He dropped back and watched as his two receivers set off down the field before cutting inwards, drawing their defenders with them.

It took Bridge and Z a second to realise the receiving duo were running straight towards each other, almost certain to collide in the middle of the field. Z slowed up to avoid crashing into her own team, only to catch a smirk from Charlie. The green and pink ranger's stuck out their arms before interlinking them and spinning around on the spot. The defenders were too stunned and confused by the little do-si-do, allowing Sky to pick his receiver with ease. Charlie caught the spiralling football and sprinted for the end zone, "Come on, that's not allowed surely", Bridge complained as the green ranger disappeared down the field.

"Learned that one from a Scottish guy I met ten years ago", Sky chuckled, "he called it the Highland fling. Always wanted to use it during a game but the Academy's coach never allowed me to". By end Charlie had high stepped her way into the end zone, spiking the ball violently against the turf.

"You're an evil genius Sky", Z grumbled.

"Hey no one called my man devious", Syd mock pouted, placing a kiss on the red ranger's cheek, "he thinks outside the box, that's why he's the leader".

"Urgh get a room you two", Charlie jogged up to the huddle with the ball tucked under her arm, "every time I turn around you two have got your hands all over each other". The green ranger tossed the ball into the air a few times, "Even Cruger doesn't slobber as much as you two and he's a freaking dog", she added with a grin. Charlie threw the ball up again but was surprised when it didn't come back down. There was a loud cough from behind her which could only belong to one person, "Commander Cruger", she began sheepishly, "fancy joining in, we've got room for one more?"

The football looked tiny between Cruger's hands and he gave it a gentle squeeze, "Never understood this sport", he snorted, "you call it football but you barely kick the ball". He turned away from the group, let go of the ball and punted it into the air. It hung for a long time before landing on the running track at the other end of the field with a heavy thud, "I need a quiet word with Officer Tate, I trust that meets with your approval Officer Matthews".

"No complaints from me Sir", Charlie added with a cheeky grin, "race you guys", she called out and set off in a sprint towards the ball.

As Sky and Cruger watched the members of B Squad set off in pursuit, SPD's Commander let out a small chuckle, "If you had told me five months ago that Charlie Matthews would be joking around with members of B Squad, I would've called them mad". Cruger's lips formed into a reluctant smile, "I'm not sure whether to be pleased or worried".

The pair began to slowly walk towards the other end of the field with Sky wondering what the Commander wished to talk to him about, "If this is about Charlie, she's fitting in really well with the team", he began. "Despite her spiky exterior she's actually really easy going".

"The cadets certainly seem to like her", Cruger added, "nothing but glowing praise from the feedback I've received". He snorted gently, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say someone paid them to say those things".

Sky frowned, he knew all about the allegations of bribery that surrounded Charlie and had done ever since he entered SPD. The daughter and sole heir of the Matthews family fortune shouldn't have to work as a Police Officer. Sky never believed the rumours when he was in training, the few occasions he interacted with Charlie early in his career at SPD had been unremarkable. He found her a touch arrogant but then again most cadets could be accused of that, himself included. The one thing she seemed to have was a decent heart which was more than could be said of her peers. He was as surprised as anyone when she was revealed at A Squad's red ranger and that was before revealing herself as a traitor, "You don't believe she's paying off the cadets, do you?" he asked.

"No", Cruger replied with hesitancy in his voice, "as part of her release, she gets an allowance from her wages to spend and has no access to any other accounts". He placed his hands behind his back, a look of deep thought etched on his face, "We know that it's not her but that doesn't mean she isn't instructing someone else".

"Her family?" Sky began, "I know she's reconnected somewhat with her parents but surely they wouldn't get involve". When Cruger didn't response, the red ranger looked towards his commanding officer, "That's exactly what you think, isn't it Sir?" Sky knew that the Matthews family were old money who could trace their roots back to the days of the founding fathers. Over the centuries they had invested their money wisely, they were one of the few to come out of the Great Depression with their wealth largely intact. Even the financial collapse fifteen years ago hadn't affected their assets. They had been fairly quiet in the last ten years, rarely seen away from their Connecticut estate.

The walk continued in silence as Cruger refused to answer Sky's question. The red ranger thought about asking it again but changed his mind, the Commander probably heard him but either couldn't or didn't want to answer. Instead he turned his attention towards his team, Z was running around with the football tucked between her arms. Charlie was chasing her across the grass with Bridge and Syd looking on and laughing.

Eventually Charlie caught up with the yellow ranger and wrapped her arm around her body. He heard Z laugh loudly, a broad smile plastered over her face. Charlie spun Z around until the pair tumbled to the ground with the green ranger's arms still wrapped around Z's waist. There was a lingering glance between the pair and even at a distance, Sky could see their eyes flicking down towards the other's lips. He fully suspected that if they didn't have an audience, the green and yellow rangers would've kissed. The pair obviously realised this too and scrambled to their feet, separating as quickly as possible.

The tension between the roommates had been building almost since the DiAngelo assignment. Charlie wasn't subtle when flirting with Z and Sky had suspected for a long time that the yellow ranger wasn't doing anything to dissuade her. At first Sky wondered if it was just Charlie's way of having fun, he noticed the green ranger tended to be a little flirtatious with most people. Even Doctor Manx had been on the receiving end of the Matthews charm in the last few weeks. After careful observation he noticed there was something deeper behind Charlie's eye, maybe she really did like the yellow ranger in that way.

At first he was concerned, Charlie had been judged as a traitor in the past. Her good work since her dubious release was going someway to making up for that but it still didn't erase that stain from her personality. If the circumstances were right, could she turn against SPD again? Then there was Z to consider, the yellow ranger wasn't overly open about her sexuality in fact no one knew too much about her life prior to SPD. The only exception to that was Jack but the retired Officer wasn't about to betray his best friend's confidence. The team was finally on the same page and he didn't want anything to ruin it, "You're thinking exactly what I'm thinking", Cruger's voice suddenly pierced Sky's thoughts.

"Should I talk to them", he sighed, "get this all out in the open".

"It's your team Sky, I trust your judgement", came Cruger's rather unhelpful response. Sky admired Cruger's attempts to allow him to run the team his own way but sometimes he wished the Commander would give him some straight advice and not some cryptic advice from a fortune cookie. "The DA of Newtech has persuaded the judgement board to hold the trial of Michael DiAngelo in the city".

"He's what?" Sky exclaimed, "how the hell did he do that, Newtech should be the last place to hold that trial".

"You don't need to tell me", Cruger sighed, "Command has assigned Kenzi Hammond and Travis Johnson from Special Ops to escort our guest". Sky nodded, remembering Kenzi from the original arrest. He guessed from Travis's surname that he was related to the blue Space Ranger TJ Johnson, "That's not all, Supreme Commander Andros, his wife and Supreme Commander Fowler are coming too".

Sky's eyes widened slightly, two of the five Supreme Commander were coming to Earth. Normally he would be excited, eager to prove to the highest officials in SPD of his credentials but with the trial and Charlie's murky past hanging over them, this wasn't really the time, "These next few days will determine the future of SPD Sky", Cruger continued, "don't get caught up in someone else's drama".

The red ranger nodded slowly, "What are your orders Sir?" he asked.

"Do your job Sky", Cruger hesitated briefly before adding, "and try not to think less of those around you when the time comes". Sky was confused by that statement, the sad look behind the Commander's eyes only added to the mystery, "The escort ship arrives in 24 hours, I suggest you prepare your team". Cruger turned and marched away his shoulders slumped, leaving a confused Sky behind.


	16. Meet The Parents

_Chapter 16 – Meet The Parents  
_

The impromptu game of football was quickly forgotten about after Commander Cruger departed the field. Charlie immediately noticed how distracted the red ranger looked and suggested that he called the rest of the session off. Whatever the Commander said to Sky had clearly rattled him as he immediately agreed with Charlie's suggestion without hesitation. There was usually some kind of argument or exchange of opinions between the pair over the most minor of things. Initially there was genuine dislike for each other but it had gradually mutated into a kind of banter between the current leader and someone with leadership experience. For Sky to calmly and easily agree with Charlie, some bad news must've been given by Cruger.

During the walk back to their rooms, Sky informed them of the decision to hold Michael DiAngelo's trial in the city. Charlie's reaction had been largely the same as the others, almost total shock and surprise. The DA's office and Command must've known about the threat to the safety of B Squad and SPD as a whole so asking them to prove security for the trial was almost suicidal. The presence of two Supreme Commanders also made her feel a little uneasy. There was no reason for Commander Fowler and Commander Andros to visit the city, they could easily follow the trial from their own headquarters. Something else was happening behind the scenes and it made the green ranger feel a little uneasy.

Once she reached her room Charlie retreated into the shower immediately, barely giving Z a chance to object. Living with the yellow ranger was becoming uncomfortable for Charlie. Her initial attraction had steadily grown into a full blown crush which was really embarrassing for the green ranger. She was twenty eight years old, she shouldn't be crushing over Z like some horny schoolgirl. After all, she didn't even know if the yellow ranger liked women. Z had some terrible experiences whilst living on the streets and even mentioning the word sex made her visibly uncomfortable. Trying to get her to open up about her preferences was an almost impossible task.

There were moments that gave Charlie hope though, like now for example. She exited the shower with just a towel wrapped around her body, her damp hair clinging to her shoulders. Almost immediately she felt Z's eyes on her body, the towel was pulled tight against her skin almost teasing at the curves underneath. The yellow ranger's cheeks instantly reddened, her eyes desperately trying to look anywhere other than at the green ranger. Charlie wanted to smile or show some indication that Z's reaction wasn't a problem but she was afraid of scaring her away, "Showers free", she mumbled gently.

Almost immediately Z leapt off her bed, muttering a vague thank you to Charlie before disappearing. The green ranger sighed, her heart breaking for her friend. Z had been damaged by her past experiences and Charlie wasn't well equipped to help her overcome them. It was an unusual feeling, being so far out of her comfort zone, for Charlie and she had no idea how to proceed. For now she resolved to keep things friendly between them and see how things developed. Maybe one day Z would feel the same way for Charlie that she did in return.

Charlie dried herself off and grabbed some casual clothes, a black pair of skinny jeans and a loose fitting green tank top. Sky had given them a couple of hours off before they were to meet up again to discuss arrangement for the DiAngelo trial. The green ranger was beginning to worry for Z, she had been in the shower for an unusually long time but her thoughts were interrupted by the bases internal intercom system. Grumbling under her breath, Charlie padded over to the central desk in the room, "Matthews here", she grunted.

"Officer Matthews I'm glad I caught you", the shrill voice of the base's receptionist came through the speakers, "there's two people here asking to see you, they said they're your parents". Charlie froze in surprise, her parents rarely left their estate these days let alone travelled to another state. Suspicious of their sudden arrival Charlie used a trick that Boom had shown her to access the security cameras in reception. Zooming in on the pair standing at the desk Charlie gasped, this wasn't a hoax, her parents were actually in Newtech City, "Shall I tell them you're on your way", the receptionist continued after a lengthy delay.

"Yeah, tell them I'll be five minutes", Charlie replied absently and terminated the call. She didn't move for a few moments, still trying to comprehend why her parents were in the city. Charlie had met with them a few times as part of an unofficial mission for SPD. Suspicious payments had been made from her parents account to the organisation for several years and Charlie was desperate to find out why. So far her conversations had been fairly brief and usually resulted in an argument about the past. Charlie had to persevere though if only for her own peace of mind about her career in SPD.

She pulled on her tatty black boots, grabbing some money from the dresser and tucking it into her back pocket. She did the same with her morpher too, not wanting to risk having it too far away. She then carefully approached the shower door, "Z I'm heading out for an hour or so, tell Mr Roboto not to start any meetings without me". There was a small delay before Z garbled something in reply which Charlie took as an acknowledgement. With that she left their shared room and headed for main reception.

The walk through the corridors seemed longer than ever, especially as Charlie's mind seemed more active than ever. Thoughts about Z, her parents and the upcoming trial seemed to blur into one, making it hard for the green ranger to concentrate on anything. Finally though she reached the main building entrance and noticed her parents standing the other side of the laser proof screens.

Her father, Richard, was a tall man, his grey hair swept over to one side. He had been quite the athlete himself during his college years but his age coupled with many years of inactivity on their estate had seen him develop a paunch. Susanna, her mother, was the total opposite. She was thin, almost too thin, with shoulder length blonde hair. Charlie noticed they were wearing some of their finest and most expensive clothes, her parents never missed an opportunity to rub their wealth in everyone's faces.

As Charlie used her morpher to unlock the screens, she noticed something different about her parents. Gone was the usual air of superiority, replaced by something else that Charlie couldn't identify. They almost seemed nervous, maybe about this meeting or perhaps just being in away from their home. There was no real greeting from either though Charlie noticed bitterly, "Charlotte", her father greeted, "you're looking well".

Charlie frowned, disliking the use of her full name. She wanted to rudely ask what they were doing in SPD Headquarters but then remembered how quickly rumours spread around this place. She crossed her arm over her chest and scowled at the pair instead, "Mother, Father", Charlie said stiffly, "this is a pleasant surprise", she added, implying that this visit was far from pleasant, "can I ask what you're doing here?"

"Can't a mother visit her daughter's place of work", Susanna replied, not a flicker of emotion on her face.

"Taken you eleven years Mother", the sarcastic replied tumbled out of Charlie's mouth quickly. The bitter tone caught the attention of a passing worker who eyed the green ranger with interest. She mentally cursed herself, they wouldn't be able to have a proper conversation here, "Now you're in Newtech, I really must show you the sights", she continued with false sweetness, "how about you sample one of the local restaurants?"

"Of course but nothing too grimy dear", her mother stated, "you never know what goes into the food around here".

Charlie rolled her eyes, that was more like her parents, rampant snobbery and distaste for anything they deemed lower class. Swallowing her bitterness the green ranger led them out of SPD and tried to think of somewhere close by that would meet her mother's impossibly high standards. She decided on a small coffee shop a couple of blocks down the street. Charlie often visited the place during her days as a cadet and the shop had remained a closely guarded secret of hers. That meant a very limited SPD presence inside which would be perfect in the event of any awkward conversations.

Entering the coffee shop Charlie gave the barista a small smile, "The usual for me Geno, and soya Latte's for my guests", she called out her order to the old man behind the counter.

"You remembered our order", Richard raised an eyebrow at his daughter.

"Kinda hard to forget Dad", she took a seat at a table in the far corner of the room, "I trust this meets with your high standards", she hissed at her mother.

"There's no need for the attitude Charlotte", Susanna grumbled, "but yes this place is surprisingly nice for such a miserable and disguising part of the country".

The green ranger bit down on her tongue but the other occupants of the shop weren't quite so subtle with their annoyance. Several angry glares were flashed in Susanna Matthews direction, even Geno the barista looked unhappy when he brought their order over. The tray containing the elder Matthews drinks was slammed down in front of them as Geno mumbled something in Italian which Charlie knew wasn't overly complimentary. "It's nice to see you in here with some company", Geno said to Charlie as he placed her drink down more carefully, " _even if it is these two",_ he added in Italian.

" _You can't choose your parents Geno",_ Charlie chuckled back in the foreign language before switching into English, "add this to my tab". Geno smiled warmly before retreating to the bar, "Spent a few months in Rome with SPD", Charlie said to her parents, "picked up a few useful phrases during that time".

There was nothing but an awkward silence for the next few minutes. Richard and Susanna stirred their drinks as Charlie watched on cautiously. It was most unlike her parents to randomly drop in on anyone. When she was growing up, even Charlie had to schedule time into their busy diaries just to interact with them. It was little wonder that she rebelled, there was barely any emotional connection between them, "Yours is in a take away cup", Richard noticed the tall cardboard container in front of Charlie, "planning a quick exit?"

Charlie snorted, "Let's be honest Dad we've barely been able to hold a civil conversation with each other since I was a teenager, why should things be any different now?"

"That wasn't all our fault Charlotte", her mother snapped, "you insisted on wearing such outrageous clothes, like what your wearing now", Charlie had to roll her eyes, suddenly it felt like she was eighteen all over again. "Don't disrespect me young lady", Susanna hissed in response.

"Respect's a two way street mother", Charlie whispered dangerously, "this isn't just about fashion, you've never respected my choice of friends or job and don't get me started on respecting my choice of lovers". Charlie smirked, she loved winding up her mother and knew exactly what buttons to push, "remember Chrissie, I still remember the look on your face when you caught me in the pool house with my face in her-".

"Charlotte that's enough", Richard hissed, "you too Sue", he added in the direction of his appalled looking wife, "when we last spoke I thought we agreed to start again, put all this childish behaviour behind us". Charlie slouched into her seat, sulking like a scolded teenager, "I know things haven't been great between us", the green ranger snorted, "but we're making an effort here Charlotte, at least try to do the same".

Every fibre of Charlie's being wanted to tell her father where to go, there was too much anger and bitterness to try and overcome. Sitting here in this coffee shop though looking into the eyes of her father, Charlie felt a little guilty. He was right they were making some kind of effort which was more than she was. Initially she had reconnected with her parents as part of a mission but it would be nice to finally let go of the anger that she had been carrying around with her for over a decade. Sitting up a little straighter she said to her father, "I'm sorry Dad, maybe we can begin this conversation again".

"Thank you Charlotte", Richard smiled and it was a genuine smile from the older man Charlie noted, "now I do believe that it's someone's birthday in a few weeks".

Charlie nodded slowly, she would be entering the final year of her twenties at the start of July which made her feeling really old. Still at least this birthday would be better than her last one, she had spent that in containment after all, "I hope you're not planning anything too big Dad", the green ranger replied, "I'm don't think I'm ready for that yet".

"No, nothing like that", Richard began, "maybe a small gathering with those Ranger friends of yours but we can discuss that another time". He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, "This is the real reason for surprising you today".

He slid the phone over to Charlie who picked it up cautiously. There was a document open on the screen, the title of which immediately grabbed her attention, "You want to make me a partner in the business?" she coughed out, nearly choking on her coffee. That was the last thing she was expecting, Charlie knew absolutely nothing about finances or running a business. Her status as an SPD Judged felon might also handicap her ability to accept the job. She wasn't really sure what her parents knew about her incarceration. A Squad's identities had been redacted from the official reports so unless Cruger or someone in Command contacted them directly, they would probably be none the wiser.

Charlie eventually regained the ability to speak, "Thanks for the offer Dad but I'm not sure I can accept", she passed the phone back over the table, "I've got my career at SPD to think about".

"A career as a Police Officer sure couldn't be as rewarding as this", Susanna chipped into the conversation, "eleven years at that place and you're only at Level 3".

The green ranger wanted desperately to silence her mother with stories of leading A Squad but that would only open another can of worms. Taking a moment to choose her words carefully, Charlie eventually stated, "There's more to a career than ranks and levels mother. I'm putting a lot of time in training the rookies, I wouldn't be able to do that if I was a Level 1 officer".

"Matthews always lead Charlotte, did we teach you nothing?" came the blunt response from her mother. It was said without a hint of emotion but Charlie could sense the malice behind the words.

Fortunately her father did too and stepped into the conversation before another argument ignited, "We're not asking you to give up your work at SPD", Susanna shot her husband a piercing glare, "this would be more like a silent partnership, at least until we know what to do with the company". It all suddenly became clear for Charlie, the business had always been run by the eldest Matthews child. Without an obvious successor to Charlie and with no plans for the green ranger to have any children, the future didn't look particular rosy for Matthews Holdings Incorporated.

"This wasn't what we talked about Richard", Susanna whispered, just loud enough for Charlie to hear, "the deal was for Charlotte to return full time. Even then I agreed reluctantly, this isn't really the line of work for a woman".

Finally Charlie had enough of this conversation, her father was trying to be civil but clearly there was no hope for any kind of relationship with her mother. The green ranger stood up and grabbed her coffee from the table, "At least I can say I've worked for more than one day in my life, unlike some people in this room", the thinly disguised insult was aimed firmly at her mother. "I'm due back at Headquarters soon, gotta keep the world safe for everyone", she quickly glanced at Susanna, "even if they're a bitter old woman".

Walking away from the table, she didn't even spare a glance at her parents. She was us about to leave when her father called out, "Please Charlotte at least think about this", she paused at the door, "we're in the city for a few more days, maybe we can meet to discuss this further".

Charlie hesitated, she didn't want to keep putting herself through these difficult meetings but there was still Cruger's assignment to think about. She wasn't in immediate danger of returning to containment any more but looking unwilling to follow commands wouldn't look good. She didn't look back but replied, "Fine, you know how to reach me". She had done all she was willing to and left the ball firmly in their court. Pushing the door open she returned to SPD Headquarters as fast as she could. Charlie wanted to put this unpleasant meeting behind her as quickly as possible.


	17. Destruction Derby

_Chapter 17 – Destruction Derby  
_

The first day of the trial had arrived and Newtech City was in lockdown. SPD had cordoned off sections of the city to allow for the transportation of Michael DiAngelo from the intergalactic airport to the courthouse in the center of the city. The drive down to the airport had been quiet and tense for the B Squad rangers. Outside of their battles against Grumm's Army, this was the most high profile event they had been responsible for. Millions of people across Earth, Karovia, Mirinoi and other planets in the Alliance were tuning in for the opening day of proceedings. Absolutely nothing could go wrong.

The three car convoy arrived just as the SPD Special Operations transport ship touched down on the landing strip. Stepping out into the sunlight was the instantly recognisable profile of Supreme Commander Fowler. Just behind him was one of the other Supreme Commanders of SPD, Andros and his wife Ashley Hammond. It had over eleven years since either of them had stepped foot on the planet and the native Terran Ashley looked pleased to be back home. The pair was now in their mid forties but still looked in remarkable shape for their age.

Next out of the transport ship was the accused Michael DiAngelo who was closely guarded by someone familiar to the SPD Rangers, current yellow Space Ranger Kenzi Hammond. Just behind her was a tall dark skinned man dressed in a similar uniform to Kenzi. His hair was twisted into a number of short dreadlocks and a single diamond earring sparkled in the midday sun. B Squad knew from their briefing that this was Travis Johnson, SPD Special Operations and the current blue Space Ranger.

Once pleasantries had been exchanged the various members of the convoy set off their assigned vehicles. Sky would take point, leading the convoy whilst guarding the two Supreme Commanders. As the two best fighters present, Charlie and Travis would be travelling in the armoured truck containing the accused. The other four members of the party would be following behind with Kenzi and Z in one vehicle and finally Bridge and Syd in the other. The journey to the courthouse normally took around fifteen minutes but Commander Cruger had instructed Sky to take a steady pace to avoid the risk of any incidents. A trial run suggested that even on the deserted streets it could take up to half an hour to complete the journey.

For Z that felt like an absolute age, it certainly gave her far too long alone with her thoughts. Charlie had been acting weird for the last couple of days. Things had been a little strained between them but the situation had really gone downhill since the football game. When Charlie returned from her errand that afternoon she was unusually quiet, even resisting the urge to playfully tease and taunt Sky throughout their meeting. Z noticed the strange ways the green ranger kept looking at her over the last few weeks. Sometimes she caught Charlie staring like a lovesick puppy yet other times with utter shame. It was really confusing Z and it was getting to the point where she felt like she should say something. But for the last few days there had been nothing, sometimes they went hours without saying a word to each other.

As the journey continued Z kept searching through her memories, trying to think of how she had annoyed Charlie but she kept coming up blank. About half way to the courthouse, her passenger finally had enough of the silence, "You are the worst tour guide in history Z", Kenzi teased, "don't quit your day job".

"Hmm", Z mumbled, shaken out of her thoughts, "yeah, sure".

Kenzi sighed deeply, "Alright spill it", she began, "if this is about the mission you've got nothing to worry about".

"It's not that", Z replied, "more of a personal situation".

Z finally focused on the road, feeling a little relieved that she had managed to keep following the convoy whilst barely paying attention. She really didn't want Kenzi to continue with her line of questioning but the Special Ops officer wasn't giving up, "Did you and Matthews break up?" she began, "shame, you two looked made for each other".

"Me and Charlie?" Z almost choked on her breath, "we're not together and never have been". The yellow ranger gripped the steering wheel of the cruiser a little tighter, "What the hell made you think we were together?" she snorted.

"Please Delgardo I've got eyes, I saw the way she looked at you the last time I was on Earth", Kenzi stated, "like a starving man would stare at a juicy steak".

Z wasn't sure she liked being compared to a piece of meat but Kenzi's crude description actually made sense. Knowing that Charlie fancied her made Z feel a little nervous, she hadn't been with a woman before but she wasn't opposed to the idea. Charlie had a few things going for her and Z thought the green ranger was definitely easy on the eye. She had that slightly dangerous edge to her too but maybe that was also the problem. Charlie had walked a dark path before and despite her protestations, there was always a chance she could do so again. After spending her childhood on the wrong side of the law, Z was very happy with life now and didn't want to do anything to jeopardise that.

This led her to a couple of questions, why hadn't Charlie spoken to her about this and what would Z do if the green ranger ever worked up the courage? Looking back over the last few months it was clear that Charlie had felt like this for a while. Perhaps if she didn't have the courage to talk about it then maybe Z should take the initiative, "Hello, Earth to Z", Kenzi clicked her fingers in front of Z's face.

The yellow ranger was so startled that she nearly lost control of the cruiser. She took a couple of deep breaths to slow her beating heart before making sure that the vehicle was pointing in the right direction, "I'm back and I'm focused", she declared. Out the corner of her eye she could see Kenzi smirking in her seat. A few seconds of silence followed before Z continued, "Do you really think Charlie likes me?" she asked in hope.

"Trust me, that girl-" but Kenzi never got the chance to finish her sentence.

A sudden and violent explosion rocked the armoured truck, sending it sliding wildly out of control. Z slammed on the brakes and swerved quickly to avoid the crashing into the out of control truck. In the process though she lost control herself. Her cruiser fishtailed before doing a complete 360 degree turn. The yellow ranger barely had time to register the lamppost coming into view before a violent crunch assaulted all of her senses.

Everything was dark for Z but a small part of her brain was conscious enough to pick up on some sounds coming through the radio.

" _What the hell was that?"_

" _Something hit the truck"_

" _I'm getting the Supreme Commanders away, anyone able to pursue do so"._

The next thing Z remembered was a strong pair of hands pulling her out of her seat. Her eyes fluttered open but the bright sunlight was too much for her to bear, "Easy Z", she heard Bridge's calming voice, "I've got you". The blue ranger gently dragged her across the road away from her cruiser and across the street.

When she stopped moving Z attempted to open her eyes again. This time her vision was filled with the familiar blonde locks of Syd, "Welcome back to the land of the living", the pink ranger greeted, "you had us worried for a moment".

Z grunted some kind of response before taking a quick glance over Syd's shoulder. Her cruiser was bent around a lamppost with the main point of impact on the driver's side. She counted herself fortunate that the impact had been just behind her seat, otherwise the situation could've been much worse, "Where's Kenzi?" she saddened asked in a panic.

"Over here Delgardo", Kenzi's voice called out, she was standing up apparently uninjured with her morpher ready to use, "takes more than a little shunt to keep me down". The yellow ranger wanted to laugh but a stabbing pain in her ribs warned her against any sudden movements. The circumstances of the crash suddenly came flooding back. Something had attacked the armoured truck, an explosion knocking it wildly off course. Z leaned over and saw the smoking remains of the truck. It was on its side and there was a clearly a blast hole torn into the side that was visible, "Don't worry Travis is over there now checking on your girl".

It suddenly struck Z that Charlie was in that truck and a feeling of dread washed over the yellow ranger. The fear that her friend and partner might be dead chilled her to the core. Faced with the reality that Charlie was dead suddenly made her realise that perhaps she felt more for the green ranger than merely friendship, "Geez that was close", the deep voice of Travis broke into her morbid thoughts.

"I told you, I'm perfectly capable of walking", Z breathed a sigh of relief, that irritated voice definitely belonged to Charlie.

"Yeah cause limping means that you're in peak physical fitness", Travis replied sarcastically. The pair came into view with Travis practically holding Charlie up. The green ranger's uniform was burned in several places and there was blood leaking through the right pants leg. Some of her hair had been burned at the tips, giving her an uneven style, "I saw a shadow heading down Twelfth Street", the blue Space Ranger added, "could be nothing but it's worth checking out".

"Back up's on the way", Syd added, "will you two be alright here?"

Charlie nodded and answer for the pair, "Yeah we're a couple of fighters, go catch those bastards before they get away". Z watched as Charlie gingerly lowered herself to the curb, stretching out her injured leg, "So how's your day been?" she asked Z dryly.

"Started off alright, gone a little downhill since then I'll admit", Z replied with a half grin. Charlie suddenly winced when she tried to move her leg, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Nothing major, had worst", Charlie hissed out through gritted teeth.

Z had to admire Charlie's attempt to put on a brave face. Judging by the size of the cut the green ranger must be in a significant amount of pain. The medical team would have her fixed up pretty quickly though and probably without any major scarring. It didn't seem like the appropriate time to bring up personal matters but since they were alone and minutes removed from escaping certain death, maybe this was the perfect time. Just as Z was about to begin, she noticed Charlie struggling to stand up, "You should stay seated", she cautioned her partner.

Charlie's focus though was on an alley just over their shoulders, "Someone's watching us", she replied with a hushed whisper. She hobbled to her feet and summoned a blaster to her hand. Z was still feeling dizzy from the crash but she just had to get up and provide backup to her partner.

The pair cautiously limped their way into the alley, checking for any intruders. There was an exclusion zone of a block imposed on the convoy route so no one should've been in the area. Seeing there was no one in the alley, Z slowly lowered her weapon, "There's no one here Charlie", she commented.

"Look harder little girl", a strong male voice taunted from above their heads. Standing on a fire escape above their heads was an African-American male with dark curly hair. The man vaulted over the metal barrier and dropped the storey down to the ground, landing softly in front of the women. It was then that Z noticed he was dressed in a dark blue boiler suit with green accents. She suddenly flashed back several months and realised who this mystery man was. This was the green ranger for the disgraced A Squad, "Hello Charlie, been a while", the man continued, "and wearing green for the B team now, how the mighty have fallen".

"Cliff Daniels", Charlie gripped her weapon even tighter, "how the fuck did you escape containment?"

Z was startled for a moment, despite her brash attitude Charlie hardly ever swore, "Could ask you the same question Boss", Cliff smiled, "you clearly had some help and let's just say so did we". Z froze for a moment, the rest of A Squad had broken free too. As she stood rooted to the spot, Cliff took a couple of paces towards the yellow ranger, "Sorry for the blast, didn't know you were in the van", that was directed at Charlie but his gaze was firmly on Z, "don't remember you being so cute". Z's skin crawled at his leering gaze, if her ribs weren't so sore she wouldn't slapped him away.

"You stay away from her Cliff", Charlie spat with venom.

The A Squad green ranger chuckled, "Oh, it's like that", he winked at Z, "bagged yourself a really diamond Boss". Sirens began to fill the air, drawing Cliff's attention, "They're playing my song", he gave Charlie a mocking salute, "we'll be in touch soon". He turned on his heel and sprinted down the alley away the two women.

Z felt close to collapsing and judging by the shaking arms on Charlie, her partner was feeling the same way too. Another set of footsteps coming up fast from behind shocked Z into action. Fearing that another member of A Squad was coming to attack she spun around quickly with her weapon ready to fire. She was a little embarrassed and surprise to see Commander Cruger suited up as the Shadow Ranger eying the blaster curiously, "Sorry Sir, you surprised me", she apologised.

"So I see", Cruger began, "good reactions though Officer Delgardo". He eyed up the two women carefully, "You look like you've been in the wars".

"The rest of A Squad are free Sir", Charlie blurted out, limping towards the Commander, "I suspect they were behind the attack".

The Commander sighed, his shoulder slumping slightly, "And with the Supreme Commanders in town too", he grumbled, "there's an ambulance waiting, go get yourselves checked out, that's an order".

Z nodded and carefully wrapped her arm around Charlie's waist, gently helping her down the alley. There was a vacant look in the green ranger's eye and Z suspected it wasn't just due to her injuries. Her old team had escaped from containment and on the loose. Something told Z that they weren't looking to play nice either.


	18. Accusations

_Chapter 18 – Accusations  
_

Night had fallen on Newtech City and everyone was talking about the daring escape of Michael DiAngelo earlier that day. Large portions of the downtown area were still cordoned off as Crime Scene Investigators tried to retrieve as much evidence as possible. The national rolling news channels were having a field day with the story with almost wall to wall coverage. The actual attack on the convoy had been caught live on television and beamed across the world. Political commentators, never ones to shy away from criticizing SPD, could barely contain their glee at their failure to keep one of the most wanted criminals in decades from escaping.

One thing all the news channels, bloggers and commentators failed to comment on was the people actually involved in the incident. No one spared a second thought for the feelings of B Squad or their Commander. Once again Cruger's reputation was dragged through the mud by several prominent conservative papers, where there was more than a hint of xenophobia towards the Sirian.

The news also didn't comment on the injuries suffered by Charlie and Z, expect for one station, " _We're getting reports that SPD Officers Elizabeth Delgardo and Charlotte Matthews have been discharged from Newtech General"._ Inside an unmarked cruiser Charlie and Z sat in silence as the green ranger watched some coverage of event on her phone. Z had suffered nothing worse than a few bruised ribs but her partner wasn't quite as lucky. Charlie had minor burns on her upper body and neck along with a serious cut on her leg that had required several stitches. Given what they had gone through the two women should've counted themselves lucky but they were feeling anything but positive right now. _"There has been no further comment from SPD since their press conference earlier today",_ the reporter continued, " _and no sightings of Michael DiAngelo in the city either. Whoever staged his rescue has safely stored the crime lord away from view"._

Z was getting tired of the constant coverage and snatched Charlie's cell phone away, "I don't know why you've been watching this rubbish all day", the yellow ranger sighed.

"Hoping for a miracle maybe", Charlie shrugged before leaning against the rear pillar of the car, her head resting on the cool metal.

"They'll catch him, I bet Cruger and Sky are already working on something", Z's heart broke when Charlie didn't reply. The green ranger was taking this failure extremely badly, especially the reappeared of her old team mate. Z had been thinking about that a fair amount too, someone must've allowed Cliff to escape. Containment cards were almost impossible to escape from without outside assistance. With A Squad under the highest level of security, everything pointed towards the mystery traitor within SPD.

The identity of the traitor had been the subject of many conversations over the last few months. Whoever it was, they had access to high priority information and top security clearance. The problem was that described almost a hundred people across the numerous SPD bases, including Commander Cruger and Doctor Manx.

There was also one other possibly which Z had considered a few times. A Squad had top level clearance prior to their arrest and if anyone knew where SPD's maximum security facilities were based it would be them. Between their creation in 2017 and 2025, A Squad only had ten members. Charlie had been the first replacement added to the team when A Squad's first red ranger had retired so Z had a limited number of suspects.

In the early days she considered the possibility that Charlie was still a traitor but after getting to know her a little bit, that concern had drifted away. As she sat next to the injured and mentally broken looking woman, Z wanted to firmly cross her off the list. One thing nagging her though was Charlie excellent undercover reputation. If anyone was good enough to act the part of a remorseful and reformed officer, it would be Charlie. Z knew that if she was thinking it then several others inside Headquarters also had the same idea.

The cruiser carefully avoided the scrum of reporters outside Delta Base and snuck in through the rear entrance. Almost the moment the pair stepped out of the car their morphers went off, "Matthews, Delgardo, report to Conference Room Three immediately", came Cruger gruff voice through the speakers.

"Great, there goes my night's sleep", Charlie grumbled and tucked her morpher into the back pocket of her loose fitting shorts. She slowly limped into the building after refusing crutches from the hospital. Z made the mistake earlier of offered to help Charlie only to get her head firmly bitten off. As much as it ate Z up inside, she had to watch Charlie painfully hobble her way towards the elevator.

The tense silence continued all the away to the top floor of Delta Base. Z trailed behind the injured Charlie into the conference room where Sky, Bridge, Syd, Kenzi and Travis were seated around a large round table. Commander Cruger was standing up next to a monitor which had a frozen image of the failed escort on display, "Take a seat please ladies", the Commander pointed at the vacant seats at the table. Z took a seat next to Bridge whilst Charlie settled in next to Kenzi at the other end of the table, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I caught up in a violent explosion", Charlie replied stiffly, "and full of enough painkillers to down a grown elephant".

Cruger shuffled on the spot, looking decidedly unimpressed, "I see your sense of humour wasn't injured".

"Just my pride and most of my limbs", the green ranger said snippily, "can't this wait, all I want to do is have a shower and a long lay down".

Z frowned this was the Charlie of a few months ago, slightly bitter and very hostile. Nothing like the respectable SPD Officer she had been since the DiAngelo arrest, "I'm going to let that go Matthews, given the circumstances of the day". Charlie sniffed loudly, demonstrating that she wasn't overly impressed either way.

Before the conversation turned into a sniping session between Cruger and Charlie, Sky stepped in, "I'll keep this as brief as I can", the red ranger began, "since the attack nine hours ago there's only been one sighting of Michael DiAngelo". He pushed a button on his remote control and the onscreen image change to a map of the city, "His transport was caught on the outskirts of the city heading into a secure compound".

"So he's hiding in plain sight?" Z asked, she knew that the north edge of the city was the rich part of town. In the early days of the Alien Refugee Crisis those that could afford it built expensive and sophisticated security around their properties. Nothing short of a full on assault by the Army or a squad of Rangers would be able to breach their defences.

"In plain sight behind a ten foot wall of steel and concrete", Bridge stated, "he could be safe inside for several months and there's nothing we could do".

"We could fly over", Travis began, "our Gliders could swoop in and snatch him before he realised what hit him".

Charlie though shook her head, "If he's as paranoid as I think he is then DiAngelo would've installed some kind of air protection. That's what my parent did on their estate anyway".

"Anti aircraft lasers are military grade weapons", Sky frowned, "it would be illegal for anyone to install that on a civilian property".

"It's amazing what can be done with a lot of money", Charlie shrugged bitterly, "are we certain that DiAngelo's inside that property?" she asked, quickly moving the subject away from her family's wealth.

Sky brought up some security footage showing the outside of a large house surrounded by imposing concrete wall. A car pulled up outside the steel doors that were part of the wall and Michael DiAngelo stumbled out. He was cradling his right arm which looked to be severely broken. The footage was in black and white but it was clear to see that he had suffered burns to the side of his face and arm, "Makes you wonder why they bothered breaking him out if they were going to maim him so badly", Kenzi pointed out.

Watching the footage Z wondered about that too. Plus why hide on the edge of the city where you just escaped from? Surely he would've headed to the nearest airport and jumped on a plane or ship to a country or planet that didn't have an SPD extradition agreement. Something about this wasn't added up, "Well look who it is?" Syd's sarcastic comment cut through the yellow ranger's thoughts.

On the screen Z could see Cliff leading DiAngelo into the compound. The image also confirmed what he said, the three remaining member's of A Squad were also free. They could clearly be seen walking through the gates before they slowly closed. Before they did, Z was almost certain that Cliff looked directly into the camera with a victorious smirk on his face, "Evil bastard", everyone gasped, no one had ever heard Bridge swear before, "sorry Charlie, didn't mean to offend your old friend".

"No that's pretty much sums him up", Charlie nodded in agreement, "looking back I do wonder how he ever made it through the psychological evaluation for SPD".

"A question that being looked into", Cruger stated.

"We suspect that one of the many illegal payments into SPD went towards getting him through that test", Kenzi added.

Charlie groaned and rubbed her face and Z noticed that the green ranger looked older than her twenty eight years in that moment, "Great, just the news I want to hear", Charlie said, "I always suspected he was bat shit crazy but I trusted the system too much".

"Maybe you could give us some more personal insights", Travis suggested, "it would be good to have some inside knowledge on who were up against".

Z watched as Charlie flashed a dangerous glare at the blue Space Ranger. She knew that Charlie hated to talk about her A Squad past with the team, let alone an outsider like Travis. Z decided to stand up for her partner because it didn't look like anyone else was, "Do we need to do this now", she began, "we've only just been released from hospital. Surely this can wait for anyone day or so".

"It's fine Lizzy", Charlie interrupted the yellow ranger, giving her a tiny smile in gratitude, "could I have their personnel files on screen". The green ranger waited patiently for the first image, "Cliff Daniels, expert marksman with an eye for the ladies whether they're willing or not". A strange chill fell over the conference room with a few eyes on Cruger, "Never proven or reported and there's no actual evidence of his assaults but Cliff does like to run his mouth".

"Nothing submitted by his squad leader either", Cruger noted pointedly.

"Like I said, there was no evidence", Charlie replied coldly, "but my concerns were noted on his file". The image changed to a Caucasian male with brown hair, "Ivan Bolshanov, originally from Bulgaria before his family emigrated during the Crisis of 2014. Ballistics expert so it was probably him who created the device that nearly smeared me across the city".

"Accused of the massacre of Sebretrova", Kenzi stated, "recent evidence suggests that he murdered innocents under Grumm's orders, including women and children".

Z was beginning to feel sick, how had Charlie served on a team with people like this? Was she aware of how much had gone on and did she have any part in their crimes? The green ranger did have a rather sickly look on her face though, "That I wasn't aware of", she mumbled. Z could see in her eyes, Charlie was genuinely disgusted and appalled.

"Next", the green ranger called out before she lost her lunch, "Beevor, no other names known". Z remembered the multi eyed blue skinned alien and looking over to Sky, he clearly did too. "His family were one of the first to seek refuge but they were killed in the 2011 riots. Beevor hasn't spoken a word since that day, choosing to communicate with sign language instead".

"Prior to joining SPD he was suspected of being a member of a pro alien terrorist organisation", Kenzi once again heaped bad news on Charlie.

"Maybe you should be doing this briefing", Charlie snapped, "you seem to know more about my old team than even I do".

"It's amazing what information you pick up when you're off world", Kenzi motioned for Sky to continue onto the last member of A Squad, "Rachel Sakamoto, native of Osaka, Japan. Alleged to have prominent connections with the Yakuza prior to SPD". She turned her attention to Charlie, "Which just leaves you Matthews, where do you fit in with this lot". The green ranger glared daggers at the yellow Space Ranger, "Special Ops suspected that A Squad was dirty but this is just the tip of the iceberg, anything you feel like sharing with the room?"

Z could sense Charlie's anger from across the room and the yellow ranger suspect that if her partner had been fully fit, she would've lunged at the Special Ops officer, "Ask your Daddy Kenzi, he knows that I'm guilty of nothing but blind arrogance and neglecting my duties as a senior officer".

"And supporting and aiding a madman enslaving three worlds and trying to do that same to Earth", Kenzi shot back.

"Enough", Cruger barked loudly, shaking the fittings on the wall, "bickering isn't going to help us catch DiAngelo and A Squad". He then turned to Charlie, "Go get some rest, you too Delgardo". Reluctantly Charlie stood up but not before shooting another glare at Kenzi, "I'll have medical check you out before clearing you for active duty".

Z saluted Cruger but Charlie merely sloped away down the corridor. Despite her leg injury, Z had to walk quickly to catch up, "That was out of line", she called out, "Kenzi never should've brought those things up".

Charlie paused next to a small reception desk at the far end of the corridor. Without turning around she pulled the monitor off the desk and threw it against the wall. It smashed into tiny fragments of plastic, "Just leave me alone Z, that would be best for everyone". Charlie limped out of sight, leaving a stunned and heartbroken Z behind. Her partner's spirit had been shattered and there was nothing she could do to help.


	19. Love Hurts

_Chapter 19 – Love Hurts_

The week after Michael DiAngelo's daring escape had been long and tiring for SPD. The worst of the press coverage had passed but questions were still being asked at the highest level of government. One online blog suggested that the President himself had become involved in the investigation. Various other 'post-truth' websites also ran with a number of lurid and made up stories until it became hard to see the difference between the truth and fiction. Eventually Commander Cruger had to open his investigation up to the public to quell the swirling rumours. This was at great risk to his reputation, numerous sources were already calling for his resignation. The only thing preventing this from happening was the recent memory of his leadership against Grumm.

Four fifths of B Squad sat in their recreation room that morning going through some of the reports. Due to their direct involvement in the incident, they were prevented from investigating the circumstances of DiAngelo's escape. Instead they were stuck on traffic duty and desk work until they had formally been cleared. The tedium of their new assignment was beginning to grate and this coupled with the embarrassment of DiAngelo's escape, made for a fractious mood. "Here's a good one", Bridge held up one of the morning papers, "SPD brought off by DiAngelo's money to cover up large embezzlement scandal".

"I fail to see what's funny about that", Sky frowned at the blue ranger. The knowledge that there was a traitor in the organisation brought that story a little too close to home, "Don't these reporters have to back up their stories with facts?" he growled.

"Yeah then they'd claim we were harming their right to free speech", Syd added, "we live in a post 2010 world after all. The alleged silencing of the press after California Day has basically given them free reign", she added as she snatched a piece of toast from Bridge's stack.

Sky grumbled, having to concede the pink ranger's alarmingly insightful point, "What do you think Z, you've been quiet this morning?"

If she was being honest with herself, Z had been barely paying attention all morning. Her thoughts were preoccupied with her partner and room-mate. Charlie had been signed off from active duty to allow time for her injuries to heal. Since her outburst in the corridor a week ago, the green ranger had barely been in their shared room. After the third day Z started to get worried when she couldn't find Charlie anywhere on base. She checked the logs and noticed that the brunette was only recorded as being on base for a few hours at a time.

Finding this unusual Z approached Commander Cruger with this information but he didn't seem too alarmed. His story was that Charlie was visiting a private physio clinic to speed up her recovery time. When Cruger wouldn't give her the name of the clinic, Z became really suspicious. She went through every private hospital in the city but no one had a record of Charlie visiting their clinic.

Knowing Charlie's terrible state of mind after the loss of DiAngelo, Z began to worry that she was resorting to her old self-destructive ways. On the fifth night Z visited Toby's bar where Charlie had arrested the initial leads which led to DiAngelo's arrest. The gruff bartender was initially reluctant to give any information to her but eventually Z was able to establish that the green ranger hadn't been there in the last few days.

As a last resort Z spent the night in her secret spot just around the block from the bar in the hope that Charlie was there. As she sat up and looked at the stars she begs any deity that would listen for Charlie to appear that night. When the sun started to come up, a physically and mentally drained Z finally admitted defeat. For whatever reason Charlie had chosen to put some distance between them and Z's heart ached to see the green ranger again. It was at that moment that finally realised that she felt more for Charlie than just friendship. At some point during the last few months, she had fallen in love with the older brunette. Without her around, Z felt like a part of her was missing, "You still with us Z?" Syd's voice broke through the yellow ranger's thoughts.

"Yeah", she sighed before shaking her head, "no, not really".

"This about Matthews?" Sky asked, "she's still convalescing after a traumatic injury, she'll be back when she's ready".

"Easy for you to say, you're not in lo-" Z instantly bit down on her tongue before she could finish that sentence, "I just miss her that's all".

"I think it's more than that", Bridge smiled and waved his uncovered fingers in Z's direction, "I'm picking up on a very strong green coloured aura. Seriously it's like pouring off you, little bit overwhelming if I'm honest".

Z's head snapped in the blue ranger's direction, furious that he read her aura without her permission. Grabbing the nearest item to hand which fortunately for Bridge was a cushion, she threw it at his head as hard as she could, "That's for invading my privacy you douche", she snapped, "how dare you read my aura without asking me?"

"Come on Z, everyone knows you've been sweet on Matthews for a while", Sky began with a chuckle, "the recruits even have a pool going for when the pair of you would actually get together".

A bright blush crept into Z's cheek, had she really been that obvious? "Looks like I can't go down to the rookie mess room any time soon", she grumbled. Once she had regained control of her feelings, she raised her head to look at the rest of the team, "So you guys would be cool with us being together?" she asked.

Sky nodded slowly, "As long as it doesn't affect your duties like it has done this week". Z mumbled an apology under her breath, embarrassment creeping in again, "Just keep any touchy, feeling stuff to the privacy of your room yeah. Knowing your luck Cruger would be the one to catch you". Z nodded and suddenly felt a rush of energy surge through her system, she hadn't felt this empowered for a long time. All she needed to do was track down her missing partner and made everything official.

It was perhaps inevitable that the good mood would be spoilt quickly. Less than a minute later their morphers began to buzz but with a more urgent tone than usual, "The emergency signal", Syd gasped, "that hasn't gone off since Grumm was defeated".

Instantly the four members of B Squad were on their feet and charging towards the garage. Even though they were on limited duties, emergency calls were still routed towards them, "Sky here, what's going on?" the red ranger called into his morpher.

" _Big trouble",_ came Kat's voice through the speaker, _"A Squad have shown their hand and have somehow found their old morphers. C Squad have engaged them in the industrial district-"_

"Tell them to pull out", Sky snapped, interrupting Doctor Manx, "they're weapons will be no match for them".

Z felt a little worried, the last time she had faced off against A Squad, her weapons were barely a match for the renegade team. Quite how they had reacquired their confiscated morphers was beyond her. Suddenly her thoughts turned to their missing member, "Wait, what about Charlie?"

"Not cleared for duty", Sky replied, "fortunately they'll be one down as well, I suppose that's the only good thing". That didn't fill Z with much confidence, they could do with a numbers advantage against A Squad.

" _Shadow Ranger will be alerted and is on standby",_ Kat continued, _"Travis and Kenzi can also be available if things get too hairy"._ The yellow ranger groaned, Kenzi hadn't been in her good books since the debriefing meeting a week ago. Z blamed her for Charlie's disappearance after heaping bad news onto an already emotionally fragile green ranger.

The ride in the squad car was silent and tense, partly because Sky was driving like a maniac but also because of the impending fight. There was a slim chance that A Squad could've vanished but it was unlikely. After hiding away for the last seven days in a secure compound, they only reason for them venturing outside would've been to further their plan. What this plan was, Z could only guess but it probably wasn't good.

About ten minutes later the squad car pulled up outside an abandoned factory in the heart of the industrial district. Z stepped out of the car nervously, the street was far too quiet for her liking, "This is where C Squad reported in from", Bridge began, "and judging by the scorch marks on that building, I would say we're in the right place".

"Where is C Squad now?" Z asked, hoping that nothing bad had befallen their junior team.

"A couple of them suffered superficial injuries and returned to base", Bridge replied, "the others are in the area securing a loose perimeter".

"With a three man perimeter, A Squad could've snuck away", Sky mused out loud before reaching for his morpher, "nevertheless better to be safe than sorry". With a resigned sigh the team quickly morphed into their battle suits and called on their Deltamax Strikers, "We'll each take a section of the area", Sky continued, "if you encounter trouble don't be a hero, call it in straight away". Z and the other two rangers nodded grimly, "Bridge search the perimeter of the building, Syd the parking lot, Z take the roof and I'll scout the inside".

With their tasks assigned Z jogged towards the building, heading for the fire escape leading to the roof. Slowing her pace to dampen her footsteps up the metal staircase, Z reached the top and gingerly looked over the brick work. The roof was mostly flat with a few skylights dotted around. There were four metal cubes at equal spots along the roof which the yellow ranger suspected were air conditioning vents or industrial sized fans.

Inching across the roof, she checked every available sheltered spot for any sign of A Squad. After her second sweep she was satisfied there was no one around. Judging by the radio silence, the others hadn't encountered the renegade rangers either. Z took a look over the roof and could see the pink suited Syd scampering through the parking lot. From her perch the yellow ranger couldn't see anyone in the area, "Syd I think the lot's clear", she said into the radio, "the roof's clear too".

" _Perimeter's secure",_ Bridge added.

" _No one inside either",_ Sky finally stated, _"I think they've gotten away but hold position for now. Z if you could spot for us from the roof that would be great"._

"Roger that", the yellow ranger stated and began to do a circular route around the roof. Several minutes passed without sight of anything resembling a member of A Squad. Her stomach was in knots, all this anticipation seemed to be for nothing but she didn't dare relax. A Squad had managed to release DiAngelo from an armoured van without being seen. They were trained to be the best and could easy sneak up on them at any moment.

After her fourth circuit of the roof, Z spotted something moving between two buildings across the street. She only got a brief glimpse but the figure had been dressed largely in black, a hallmark of A Squad's suits, "Bridge check across the street, I thought I saw some movement", the yellow ranger stated into the radio.

"Maybe you should check behind you", a heavily accented voice growled behind her. Z barely had time to turn around before she was met with a solid kick in the stomach. Rolling across the floor she quickly realised the boot belonged to Ivan the A Squad yellow ranger. He was morphed and ready to fight, "Amateur, you walked right passed me several times", he spat, "now you will pay for your mistake".

Z didn't get a chance to think about where Ivan had been hiding, she was too busy dodging and parrying some powerful blows from her fellow yellow ranger. Her suit absorbed most of the blows but her arms were beginning to ache from just blocking the attack. Z quickly became bored of defence and decided to take the attack to Ivan. She quickly jumped backwards, the sudden movement throwing Ivan off balance. Z hopped onto the roof ledge before quickly bouncing off, landing a solid kick to Ivan's chest. To her shock, the Russian ex-pat didn't seemed phased, "She said you'd have fight", he chuckled, "normally I like this but I'm in a hurry today".

The B Squad yellow ranger barely registered Ivan drawing his weapon and firing a blast into her chest. She was knocked on to her backside, sliding across the roof until she hit the ledge. Remembering Sky's orders from early she quickly activated her radio, "B Squad I have engaged a target, requesting immediate-"

Z never finished her sentence as a powerful blow to her helmet instantly cut off her words. It took Z a few seconds to clear the spots from her vision, the strike from Ivan had been so quick that she didn't know if he had kicked her, punched her or struck her with the butt of his weapon. Either way she was extremely thankful for the helmet because without it, that blow probably would've caved her skull in.

Before Z could defend herself she felt a strong hand around her throat and she was lifted into the air. Moments later she was dangling over the edge of the building, "Nothing personal _kotyonk",_ Ivan chuckled and he released his grip.

The yellow ranger barely had time to register that she was falling. Between the blow to the head and the quickness of the attack, she was halfway to the ground. The factory was only a couple of storeys tall and the suit would offer protection but Z knew the impact was going to hurt. She landed hard on her left shoulder onto the lid of an industrial sided dumpster. The solid plastic barely buckled and it bounced Z onto the hard concrete floor. For a few seconds Z lay perfectly still, counting her blessings that she was in one piece. That soon passed as the searing pain in her shoulder kicked in. Z had been in enough scraps in her life to know that it was dislocated. Fortunately the crash landing hadn't caused her suit to lose power. At least if Ivan or someone else from A Squad came upon her then she would have some protection.

The yellow ranger wasn't sure how long she had been lying on the ground for but suddenly her vision was filled with a familiar face, "Lizzy, what are you doing down there?" Charlie asked. Z was too stunned by her appearance and the pain to formulate a response, "When I get my hands on Ivan I'm going to kill him".

As Z regained her senses she noted the black leather jacket and dark jeans that Charlie was wearing. She kicked herself mentally, Charlie had been the shadowy figure she spotted on the roof, "You came to help?" Z choked out.

Charlie nodded although Z spotted something strange in her expression, something that she couldn't put her finger on, "Don't worry Lizzy, everything will be sorted once I'm done". Z spotted the SPD SWAT Blaster in Charlie's hand as the green ranger offered her free hand to the yellow ranger, "Can you stand?"

"Well isn't this sweet", Z's blood froze, that voice belonged to Cliff the A Squad green ranger. As Z staggered to her feet she could see the rest of A Squad closing in on their position, "Going to say hello oh fearless leader", he added sarcastically in Charlie's direction.

"Z!" came the panicked cry of Sky as the other three members of B Squad sprinted around the corner, "Charlie, what are you doing here?" the red ranger asked.

"Doing something I should've done a long time ago", Charlie released her grip on Z and slowly stepped into gap separating the two teams, her grip tightening on her weapon.

"You really going to do this Chaz?" that question came from Rachel, the A Squad pink ranger, "if you do then there's no going back".

Z watched as Charlie stood in silence for a couple of moments. Her face was hidden from her view but she noticed the green ranger slowing raising her weapon, "I am", Charlie began grimly, "and for what it's worth I am sorry".

What happened next would be burned into Z's memory forever. Her body froze as Charlie suddenly spun around and aimed her weapon directly at B Squad. Three sharp blastsc quickly dropped Sky, Bridge and Syd. Charlie hesitated when her aim turned towards Z and a look of remorse quickly flashed over her face. Betrayal filled Z as her brain finally registered what had happened. Almost in desperation she pleaded, "Don't do this Charlie, I love you".

Charlie's expression hardened before she fired again, this shot crashing directly into Z's chest. The yellow ranger tumbled to the ground and a sudden surge of energy indicated that her suit had failed. As she lay in a broken heap on the floor, she could only watch helplessly as Charlie dropped the weapon and slowly joined up with her former team. In the final moment before she lost consciousness Z wasn't sure which hurt more, the pain from her shoulder or the stab of betrayal that pierced her heart.

 _ **A/N –**_ _I keep you waiting for two weeks then hit you with the double whammy of a cliffhanger and a Charlie heel turn. I am a horrible human being **grins evilly**_


	20. Harden My Heart

_Chapter 20 – Harden My Heart_

Z was acutely aware that someone was trying to shake her back into consciousness. The solid blackness of sleep was being replaced by some dull light leaking between her eyelids. She tried to resist the calls, what did she possibly have to look forward to if she woke up? Her body was sore from the attack, her shoulder was almost certainly dislocated. More importantly her heart had been blasted into thousands of pieces by someone she trusted and loved. If she was asleep then she was free of pain, everything would be so much simpler if she stayed asleep.

Unfortunately the person trying to rouse her wasn't taking no for an answer. The yellow ranger weakly moved her uninjured arm in an attempt to brush them away. Some incoherent mumbling slipped from her mouth which her helper took as a good sign, "She's awake, get the EMT's over here quickly", the voice pierced through the fog.

Going against her heart Z slowly opened her eyes to see who dared to disturb her sleep. Allowing the light flood in caused everything to turn cold for the yellow ranger. She could feel how uncomfortable the concrete was underneath her back. The pain in her shoulder was almost unbearable but just as bad was the crushing emptiness caused by Charlie's betrayal. Just when Z thought that her day couldn't get any worse, she spotted the person who brought her back into the world of the living, "Don't worry help's on its way", Kenzi Hammond flashed her a smile in an attempt to reassure her fellow ranger.

Incoherent thoughts flashed across Z's mind as she remembered the conference room meeting a week ago. The resentment of Kenzi's treatment of the woman she loved quickly boiled over, "Stay away from me", Z's slurred out, "this is all your fault".

She tried to wiggle away from Kenzi but her back and shoulder was still stiff, "Z try to stay still", the Special Ops officer said firmly.

"No, you turned her against us, against me", Z kicked out at Kenzi. None of the clumsy strikes found their target but the intent was enough for Kenzi to back away. Warm tears began to slide down her face, angry at the gall of this woman for attempting to help her, "I hate you, I hate you", she cried, thrashing around on the floor in an attempt to hurt the officer.

"Z stop this", suddenly her vision was filled with Sky's face. The red ranger had an impressive bruise forming underneath his eye but otherwise looked in decent shape, "you're going to make your shoulder worse".

"I don't care", Z spat back defiantly, "I just want-", he voice trailed off as the tears began to flow more readily, "I just want Charlie". Z barely registered an EMT place a mask over her face, administering some painkilling drugs. The medication allowed the blackness build up again and Z willingly accepted the darkness, slowly closing her eyes and drifting back into unconsciousness.

The next thing Z knew she was waking up again but this time she was lying on a bed. The harsh artificial lights and the strong small of disinfectant told her that she was in hospital. The pain in her shoulder had been reduced to a dull ache and her arm was pinned to her chest by a sling. Looking down Z noticed she was wearing a flimsy and unflattering hospital gown. She must've been in a private room she thought, the blinds were drawn and the door was shut.

Whilst her physical pain had lessened, emotionally she was a mess. Something had caused Charlie to turn against SPD once again. The memory of trying frantically to attack Kenzi came back and Z groaned with embarrassment. The Special Ops officer might have been harsh towards her partner but that surely wasn't the sole cause of Charlie's desertion. It might've been the last straw perhaps but that was purely speculation.

Another much darker thought crept into Z's mind, perhaps this had all been an act by Charlie from the very beginning. Perhaps she had been working with the SPD traitor from the very beginning and this was their master plan all along. Once again she wondered where Michael DiAngelo fitted into this equation. Maybe he didn't, he could've just been the first major criminal to cross their path. Allowing Charlie to assist in his capture earned the loyalty of B Squad and his escape provided the perfect smoke screen for her turn. Z struggled to push herself up with her good arm, all of her thoughts were pure speculation. Being dosed up on painkillers was probably allowing her imagination to run away with her. She just wanted answers and she wanted them now.

Pushing that away for now, Z stretched out to the table beside her bed for the pitcher of water. Only have the use of one arm made it difficult for her to shuffle across. It didn't help that someone had put the water on the same side as her arm so she couldn't even roll over to get closer. Fortunately for the yellow ranger the door opened at that moment. Looking up Z desperately wanted to see Charlie walking in but she quickly realised that wasn't going to happen. Instead she was greeted by the blonde curls of Syd, "Hey you're awake", the pink ranger smiled, "here let me get that for you".

Syd quickly poured Z a glass of water and placed a straw into the liquid. The yellow ranger drank slowly, whilst she was pleased to see the pink ranger in one piece she wasn't keen on engaging in conversation just yet. She sucked gently on the straw, allowing the cool liquid to slip slowly down her throat whilst at the same time staring intently at the sheets, "How are you feeling?" Syd asked.

Z took a few seconds to stop herself from snapping off an unpleasant retort. Her gut reaction was to call Syd a massive idiot but her colleague was just concerned about her health. She realised the straw briefly and began, "Not bad really, my throat is drier than a camel's slit and my arm feels like it's been ripped out of its socket". She paused and took another quick gulp of drink, mostly to avoid the scandalised look on Syd face, "Oh and the woman I love quite literally attempt to blast a hole in my heart but other than that, I'm feeling pretty good".

The yellow ranger carried on drinking, wondering if she had been better staying silent. If that was her response after a few seconds of thinking time then she didn't want to imagine how vicious her gut reaction would've been. The room was so silent that she wondered if Syd had left the room in anger and disgust at her comments. It can as a pleasant surprise then when Syd perched herself at the foot of her bed. Instead of being angry the pink ranger's face was full of sympathy, "Yeah I really didn't see that coming", she replied in reference to Charlie's desertion.

"Why thought?" Z shrugged, placing the plastic glass on the bed.

"Why what?" Syd began, "why did Charlie betray us?"

"No, why didn't we see it coming?" Z replied, "she has previous for this kind of behaviour and she's an undercover expert. I mean we shouldn't be surprised at all, we should've seen this coming a mile away".

"We just wanted to see the best in her", Syd sighed, "whatever was in those orders from Supreme Commander Andros must've said something to make Cruger keep her around". Z noticed that Syd had begun a play with her fingers, something the pink ranger did when she was nervous, "If he didn't want her around then Cruger wouldn't have allowed it".

The yellow ranger nodded slowly as a dark thought entered her head. Was it a coincidence that Commander Andros was the one to grant Charlie's release whilst his daughter was working an undercover assignment against Michael DiAngelo? He had been present in the city when DiAngelo escaped, his first visit to Earth in years. Could the vanquisher of Dark Specter have turned against SPD? "You've gone again Z", Syd smiled weakly, "thinking too hard about this won't help your recovery".

"Maybe if everyone else thought as hard as I did then we wouldn't be in this mess", she snapped. Almost instantly she regretted her tone, "I'm sorry that came out wrong", she sighed, "I just want to know why she did this".

Syd nodded, "We'll get a chance, Kenzi and Travis have A Squad's compound under heavy surveillance". Z groaned at the mention of the yellow Space Ranger's name, "She was really worried about you", Syd continued, "took off after Charlie on that hover board of hers and nearly blasted her head off. Only a lucky hit on her board stopped her from catching up". The yellow ranger didn't want to admit it out loud but that did make her feel a little better, "She forgives you for nearly scratching her to death as well".

"I'm sorry, what?" Z's head snapped towards Syd.

"Yeah the first time you regain consciousness, you practically clawed her to death", Syd replied, "then when Sky tried to peel you off her you punched him in the face". Z looked down at her free arm and noticed some tell tale scuff marks on her knuckles, a sure sign that she had punched someone. She must've blocked that moment out of her mind, "She must be pretty special to you, Charlie that is".

Z sighed and nodded, "I thought she was, other than Jack I've never really opened myself up to anyone until I met Charlie". The yellow ranger paused and remembered that night they spent talking up on the roof of her secret spot. Not even Jack knew about that place, just showing Charlie her favourite retreat was a big step. "But I was wrong", she continued, "I thought she had changed but evidently not".

"You're not alone Z", Syd gently patted the yellow ranger on the leg, "Sky's questioning his leadership ability, Bridge thinks his aura reading skills have slipped and I can't believe I allowed that bitch to borrow my hair straighteners".

The yellow ranger looked up slowly, wondering if Syd was being completely serious with that last point. The mischievous smirk on the pink ranger's face soon had Z breaking down into hysterical laughter. It started small at first but before long the two female rangers were laughing loudly. The happy feeling didn't last long for Z though as her mind quickly returned to Charlie. The laughter turned into sobs, "Oh sweetie", the pink ranger sighed, moving towards Z and wrapping her arms around her neck.

"I just want to know why?" Z gasped through her tears. She allowed Syd to hold her but all the time she wished the arms around her belonged to Charlie.

Z wasn't sure how long they had been in that position but soon her tears dried up. Gently pushing Syd away she wiped her eyes with the back of her head, "Are you going to be alright?" the pink ranger asked.

"Eventually but not today", Z shrugged, "this getting your heart broken thing really sucked".

"You've never had your heart broken?" Syd almost gasped in surprise. Z wondered why this came as such a surprise, living on the streets wasn't the best way to build a lasting relationship, "I know Cruger has called a meeting back at base but I can stay-".

"No", Z snapped, "I'm grateful for the offer but you should get back, the more people looking for A Squad the better". That wasn't the only reason though, she didn't really fancy having a heart to heart conversation today and especially not sitting in a hospital bed, "Go on I'll be fine", she added.

Syd didn't look convinced but soon acquiesced to the yellow ranger's request. Lying herself back down Z wondered what to do next. She hated hospitals and wanted to discharge herself as soon as she could. Cruger would probably insist that she stayed out the field for a while but equally he couldn't afford to be two Rangers down. That led her to the Charlie question, what would she do if she bumped into her partner?

The way Z saw it she had two options, break down into floods of tears or attempt to break something of Charlie's. If anyone asked she would say the second option but right now the former was more likely. If she was going to face Charlie again she would need to harden her heart but that was going to be easy said than done. For now she decided to do the thing her body wanted the most right now and settled down for an uncomfortable night's sleep.


	21. Besties

_Chapter 21 – Besties_

Against her Doctor's orders, Z checked herself out of Newtech General the following morning. Her unique genetic structure coupled with Ranger level healing would fix her shoulder up in no time. The Doctor wasn't convinced but with no legal reason to keep her in, he had no choice but to let the yellow ranger walk out the door. Z was grateful to Syd for bringing a change of clothes with her last night. Z really didn't feel like walking out the hospital in a gown or the dirty remains of her SPD uniform.

One pair of skinny jeans, a yellow top and her favourite boots later, Z was ready to leave. Syd had also brought her yellow leather jacket and hoodie combo. The yellow ranger looked at the article of clothing reluctantly for a couple of reasons. Firstly it was the middle of June and approaching ninety degrees outside, a fleece lined leather jacket probably wasn't the best thing to wear in those temperatures.

The main reason though was Charlie or more accurately the memory or the traitorous green ranger. This was the same jacket she was wearing when Z followed Charlie to Toby's bar. The memory of Charlie's criticism of her undercover skills, more precisely the choice of bright yellow was tailing someone, was still fresh. It could've been taken negatively but Z saw it as Charlie's attempt to help Z become a better officer. At the time Z saw it as Charlie first step towards redemption, how wrong she had been.

Z angrily pushed her thoughts aside, she loved this jacket and wasn't going to have it ruined by Charlie, "Step one of getting over her", Z mumbled and slipped her arms into the sleeves. She tucked her hair inside the hood and pulled it over her head. Cruger would probably know soon that she had discharged herself. Eager to avoid the wrath of the Commander for as long as possible, Z wanted to remain anonymous.

About a block away from the hospital she instantly regretted the jacket. Sweat was pouring off her body, making every step uncomfortable. Soon she began to feel faint and had to sit down at a nearby bus stop, "Maybe this was a mistake", she panted. Now she was out the hospital, Z realised that she had no idea where to go. Heading for Delta Base was probably the sensible option but she really didn't want to face the team yet. That only left her with one place to go and fortunately the appropriate bus was coming her way. She stood up and extended her arm, her oldest friend would know exactly what to say.

Twenty minutes later the bus dropped Z off outside Jack and Ally's store. The blonde haired co-owner was arranging a display outside and greeted the yellow ranger warmly, "Hey Z, didn't expect to see you here". The smile quickly fell from Ally's face when the tired looking Z lowered her hood, "He's in the manager's office", Ally stated. Z gave her a half smile in return, Ally always knew when something was wrong with Z. She wasn't jealous of the close relationship between Jack and Z, knowing full well about their shared childhood experiences.

Z didn't even bother to knock on the manager's door and was greeted by a startled Jack hunched over the desk surrounded by paperwork. The moment he set eyes on Z he let out a loud sigh, "I'll break out the orangeade", referencing their preferred childhood aliment remedy.

As Jack opened his desk draw Z shook her head, "Think I'm going to see something stronger than that today", she slumped into the chair opposite Jack.

The former red ranger frowned and opened another draw, pulling out a small silver flask, "Russia's finest, courtesy of Piggie". Z frowned, knowing the reputation of Jack's alien partner, "Don't worry it's legal", Jack chuckled and pushed the glass of clear liquid over to Z.

The yellow ranger took a sniff at the glass but whatever was inside was completely odourless. She took a small swig and almost instantly the back of her throat began to burn, "Jesus Christ Jack", she coughed, "that's like liquid fire".

"And people criticised President Trump's close relationship with the motherland", Jack smiled, "what did Matthews do this time?" Z's head snapped up, "I'm not a total idiot Z, the only time you visit me nowadays is to complain about your partner". A small grin appeared on his face, "Did you finally tell her how you felt?"

Z screwed her eyes up, did everyone know that she had a thing for Charlie? "Kind of but that's definitely not the whole story".

Over the next few minutes Z went into a detailed explanation of the last week's events. Since Jack was a civilian he would only have the presses account of things. To her knowledge A Squad's attack at the warehouse yesterday hadn't even made the news which was a small blessing. Once her story turned to Charlie's deception and betrayal, she could see the fire behind Jack's eyes beginning to burn. The two former red ranger's never had much love for each other but deliberately hurting Jack's best friend, that added a new level to their rivalry.

When Z was finished Jack didn't say a word and that really made the yellow ranger worried. Whenever her oldest friend went quiet like this, it was usually the sign of a massive eruption brewing. "Jack don't do anything stupid", she could see his hands shaking with rage across the desk.

Jack calming stood up from his chair, "I'm not going to do anything stupid" he began and slowly made his way towards a cupboard on the other side of his office. He pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the medium size door, "This is probably the smartest thing I've ever done". He reached inside to retrieve a baseball bat, "I'm going to track down that heartless bitch and break every bone in her body".

"Jack don't", Z stood in front of main office door, "I won't have to rot away in prison for some SPD traitor".

"Z this isn't because she's a traitor, she tried to kill you", Jack snapped, "I can believe that she's a traitor, I mean a leopard can't truly change its spots but she let her buddies drop you off a building and then blasted you at point blank range".

"Getting angry isn't going to solve anything", Z retorted.

"I'll get angry if I want", Jack banged the bat against the floor, "I can't understand why you're being so calm about this". Jack's question stunned Z into silence for a moment, why was she being so calm? Yesterday she had been a little hysterical but today she was feeling much calmer and a little more together, "You still love her don't you?" Jack's statement pierced the silence, "despite all this, you're still in love with Charlie". He allowed the bat to drop to the floor and began to rub his temples, "What are we going to do with you Z?"

Jack had hit the nail on the head, despite everything Z was still in love with Charlie. The two old friends sat back down again, the explosive mood defused for the moment, "I can't explain it but there's-"

"Don't say there's still good in her", Jack shook his head, "don't dare ruin my favourite films by using their lines to justify your feelings". Jack returned to the silver flask and took a quick swig, "I know you've told me about all the good things she did early in her SPD career but you've got to face facts Z, she as rotten as they come now". Z didn't want to believe him and shook her head defiantly, "Maybe she told you those stories to win you over, paint herself with as much sympathy as possible".

Reluctantly Z had to concede Jack's point, if Charlie had wanted to manipulate the situation then that's exactly what she would've done. If fact that's Charlie's first lesson during their undercover class, do whatever you could to win over your mark. Z placed her head in her hands and leaned across the desk, "I'm not just some mark alright, give me some credit", she groaned.

"You're smart Z but you haven't got that much experience in the love department", Jack replied, "not emotional love-"

"Finish that sentence and you'll be the one in hospital", Z growled. Maybe this was a mistake coming to Jack, he wasn't likely to be objective when it came to Charlie. The two had rubbed each other the wrong way from the very beginning. The privileged child who had toiled away for ten years to become red ranger against the street kid with no experience, they were never going to get along. What Jack was good at was reading people and right now, she didn't trust her instincts, "Forget about your personal beef with Charlie for a minute", she continued, "did you honest think she had changed?"

There was a long silence as Jack thought about the question. Z was slightly relieved that he hadn't dismissed her outright and he was mulling it over, "I'll admit I've heard nothing but praise for the green ranger from people who've come into the store", he answered, "so she definitely put a lot of effort into her performance".

"Jack, please", Z pleaded, "I came to you for an honest, subjective answer".

"Alright she had me believing too", Jack snapped back, "for the first couple of months I tried my hardest to pick holes in her but I came up with nothing. I even had Piggy use some of his more questionable contacts to dig up some dirt on her but he came back with nothing".

"You ran an illegal background check on my partner?" she cried, scandalised by his actions.

Jack nodded defiantly, "I didn't keep us alive on the streets for years without being cautious", he replied, "and I wanted to distrust Charlie but in the end I had to admit that she had turned over a new leaf". He banged his fist on the desk, "She even had me fooled, happy now?"

Z shook her head, "Not really, that just brings up more questions".

Before their conversation could continue the office door opened. At first Z thought it was Ally but to her shock, it was Commander Cruger, "Officer Delgardo, this doesn't look like Newtech General to me", he barked. Z was too tired to stand up and give him a proper salute, merely waiving vaguely in his direction, "At ease", he snorted sarcastically, "we'll deal with this later but right now, I have some business with your friend".

"Me?" Jack pointed at his chest, "Look Commander I'm out of SPD, have been for a while". He then began to frown, "If it's about that last shipment that Piggy brought it, I promise you it was from a legal source".

"I'm not here to talk about Piggy", Cruger began, "actually I'm not here to talk to you at all".

The Commander stepped aside and another man entered the office. Z immediately recognised him as Supreme Commander Andros. The yellow ranger began to get up but the older man waived her off, "Please Officer Delgardo stay seated", he began, "I know the last 24 hours have been hard on you".

"Getting shot at by someone you thought was on your side, that hurts you more mentally than physically", she commented.

A sad look crossed Andros's face, a look that suggested he knew exactly what she was going through. He soon shook it off and turned his attention to Jack, "I know you've been out the business for a while Jack but I've come to make you an offer".

Jack raised an eyebrow at the Supreme Commander, "Is this a financial offer, if it's not then I'm not interested".

"Landors", Cruger growled, "show a little respect".

"At ease Doggie", Andros smiled, "of course Jack will be financially compensated if he accepts my offer".

Z watched Jack's face carefully, she could almost see the grey cells in his head working away, "I'm listening", the former red ranger answered.

Andros smiled warmly, "Thank you", he began, "since Officer Delgardo is here then she's probably already told you that B Squad is down by one member", Jack nodded as Z scratched her head nervously, "it wasn't a secret Z so don't worry about that", Andros smiled,"we might have a way of filling that gap but we need your help".

"Why me?" Jack asked, a little surprised by Andros's offer, "and what would I need to do?"

"You have experience and the tech we have on offer requires someone with experience", Andros replied nonchalantly, "for the rest of the briefing, you'll need to come with us to Delta Base".

There was a brief moment when Z thought Jack was going to reject the offer, however, his anger towards Charlie and the rest of A Squad was probably still in his system, "Lead the way", the former red ranger stated. As Z followed the others out of the cramped office, she wondered if recruiting a vengeful Jack was the best idea.


	22. Daydream Believer

_Chapter 22 – Daydream Believer  
_

The ride back to Delta Base was awkward and uncomfortable for Z and that wasn't solely caused by the pain in her shoulder. She knew Jack well enough to know when he was stewing and the former red ranger was definitely fuming silently in the seat next to her. Sitting opposite was Commander Cruger who looked extremely unhappy but then again, that was almost his default setting. Supreme Commander Andros was a little harder for her to read. Like the others he sat silently with his hands clamped together in his lap. It was almost like being on Earth was causing him physical discomfort. He had been away for a while from what she heard, now he was overseeing a mission to capture a squad of rogue rangers with just three physically fit rangers of his own to combat them.

Z's strong painkillers began to kick in again, allowing her drift into a daydream. It started off well enough, she was walking barefoot down a sun kissed beach. That's when her simultaneously favourite and least favourite person began to drift into her dream. She saw Charlie standing in the sand with a familiar cocky smirk plastered on her face. The pair slowly walked towards each other and met just in front of the setting sun.

Almost immediately Charlie snaked her strong arms around Z's waist pulling her tightly against her body. Time seemed to freeze as Charlie's lips hovered inches away from hers, teasing her to reach out and capture them. Charlie smiled again moments before her soft lips pressed against Z's. The kiss was everything the yellow expected it to be, firm yet somehow soft at the same time. She lost herself in the moment, those few seconds could've been hours. Z reached out and grabbed a fistful of Charlie's hair, pulling her in as tightly as possible.

Charlie's hands began to sink a little further south, gripping Z's backside tightly. Z felt like she was on fire and held onto the renegade ranger, terrified that she this moment would end. Charlie broke the kiss only to slowly begin to trail further kisses down Z's jaw line, "Close your eyes Lizzy, I've got a treat for you", she whispered huskily into the yellow ranger's ear.

She was so lost in the moment that it took Z a few seconds to register what Charlie said, "This is more that perfect Charlie", she gasped.

The renegade placed a few kisses on Z's neck and slowly pulled away, "Don't to want to see a little more", she began t playfully tug at the edge of top, "I know I've been dying to see a little more of you". Z's knees began to buckle and almost automatically she agreed to Charlie's request. She closed her eyes and stood in perfect silence for several seconds, "Alright you can open them now", Charlie whispered.

Z opened her eyes but what she saw wasn't what she expected. Charlie's face had turned hard and she had a blaster pointed directly at the yellow ranger's chest, "Nothing personal Lizzy", she stated impassively and pulled the trigger.

The yellow ranger sat bolt upright, gasping heavily to catch her breath. It took her a few seconds to realise she was still in the chair and not on a sunny beach, "Are you alright Officer Delgardo?" Commander Cruger asked.

"Yeah", she wheezed in embarrassment, "bad dream, that's all", she didn't want to admit that she had been awoken from an erotic dream involving their most wanted criminal, especially not to her superior officer. Cruger didn't look overly convinced but didn't press the issue, Jack though had a very pensive look on his face. He could always read her well and probably knew exactly what she had been dreaming about.

Z managed to stay awake for the rest of the journey, not wanting to risk having the same nightmare again. Once they disembarked at Delta Base, Commander Cruger led them through the rear entrance to avoid as many people as possible. The group made their way towards Doctor Manx's lab where the rest of B Squad was waiting, "Z?" Sky began, "I didn't realise you have been released from hospital".

Cruger snorted under his breath and glanced towards the yellow ranger. Under his intense glare Z could feel herself wilting, "I kinda discharged myself", she mumbled.

"Z that's more than a little reckless", Kat scolded the yellow ranger, "you were lucky to avoid any significant injury but that doesn't mean you're out of danger".

"Kat please I know all this", Z interrupted SPD's chief scientist, "I just couldn't stay there. I wanted to feel like I was doing something useful". There was a hidden sub context to the yellow ranger's words, she didn't want to left alone with her thoughts. The little incident in the SPD car a few minutes ago proved just that.

Fortunately Z was saved from further interrogation as the other members of B Squad spotted their visitor, "Jack", Sky began, "this is an unexpected surprise".

"Yeah tell me about it", the former red ranger said to the current red ranger, "don't worry I'm not here to steal your job", he looked over towards the Supreme Commander, "at least I don't think I am".

All attention turned towards Andros, "No I'm not reassigning any roles within B Squad, although I do think you need some assistance". He twisted his head, looking directly at Kat, "Doctor Manx I believe the time is right to unveil Project Omega".

"Project Omega?" Kat asked sceptically, "but we've barely finished initial testing, only the basic sequences have been installed and we're still months away from having the others ready".

"Hold on did you say Omega?" Bridge interjected himself into the conversation, "as in the Omega Ranger?"

Kat sighed and nodded slowly, "When Sam travelled from the future, he allowed me to study some of the technical aspects of his morpher". The feline opened a metal case that was sitting on the table next to her. Sitting inside was the familiar sight of the Omega Morpher, mostly white with gold and dark navy markings. The twist grip that resembled the throttle on a motorcycle was there too, "Unfortunately the majority of the features that were available to Sam, like the time dilation function, are still in the research stage. The user would have access to the suit and few offensive attack options but that's about it".

"No zord either", Cruger added, "any available budget is being diverted towards rebuilding the Delta Megazord".

Jack stepped forward and inspected the Omega Morpher inside the box, "Sam's a little young though to use this isn't he?" There was silence in the room and it took a few extra seconds for Jack to realise the purpose for his summons to Delta Base, "Me?" he cried, "you can't be serious".

"Absolutely serious Jack", Andros began, "no one else available has the level of experience with SPD technology that you do". Andros reached into the box and gently removed the morpher, "C Squad are still too green to use the power that the Omega Morpher wields and all other Rangers have long since retired and haven't got the conditioning needed".

"Jack's been retired for nearly a year Commander", Sky stated, "are you sure he's still in top shape", he added with a teasing tone.

"Hey I still keep myself in good shape", the former red ranger involuntarily flexed his arm to prove his point, "but I'm not sure I want to be a guinea pig for a barely tested piece of kit".

Watching this exchange impassively, Z wondered if the Supreme Commander was making the correct decision. Jack might have experience but he had been out the game for a while. To bring him back in and have him use an unfamiliar morpher, that was potentially a recipe for disaster. The tense atmosphere was broken moments later when Boom burst through the door looking a little out of breath, "Sorry to interrupt but we've got a situation brewing", he wheezed.

Without missing a beat, the assembled party bundled out the room and scampered towards the central control room. Waiting for them were Kenzi and Travis who were observing a number of monitors. Curiously though there was nothing but static on the screens, "Report Officers", Cruger snapped at the pair.

"A Squad know about our surveillance", Kenzi replied, "rewind the monitors back by five minutes Travis". The blue Space Ranger did as instructed and swiped backwards on the screens. SPD has taken control of several key security cameras in the vicinity of the compound where A Squad were currently hiding out. Until their reappearance yesterday they hadn't been picked up on any recorded footage, leading B Squad to suspect they hadn't left the building. The ambush in the industrial district changed that theory and this was about to prove it, "Watch very carefully", Kenzi added, "starting with the monitor on the far left".

Z and the rest of B Squad leaned towards the indicated screen and waited patiently. Several seconds passed until the image suddenly cut out, displaying only static, "I didn't see anything", Sky grumbled, "was there some kind of technical failure?"

"Keep watching", Travis pointed at the next monitor along as that too suddenly turned to static.

The gathered SPD officers watched in amazed as one by one the screen blacked out in perfect sequence from left to right until only one remained, "They're systematically destroying the feed", Bridge pointed out.

"Thank you Officer Carson for pointing out the obvious", Cruger growled, "how is this even possible?" he directed his comment towards the Special Operations Officers, "these are ordinary traffic cameras, not one installed specially by SPD".

"You train your Officers well Commander", Andros commented, "unfortunately they are aware that Special Operations is now involved. A Squad worked closely with them on a number of occasions and they will be well aware of our standard tactics".

A feeling of dread washed over Z as she focused on the final screen which had yet to be taken out. She could see a shadow approaching the camera and something told her that she knew exactly who was going to appear. Sure enough her worst fears were confirmed when Charlie appeared on screen, plastered with the same smirk from her daydream. The rogue ranger gave a cheeky wave before blowing a kiss to the camera. Z's cheeks instantly flushed red and it didn't help that several pairs of eyes flashed in her direction. Moments later Charlie strutted away and the image cut out just like all the others.

Z felt the intense scrutiny of every person in the room, she didn't need to be telepathic to know what they were thinking, "Just say it", she mumbled, "whatever you want to say just say it".

"I'm sorry Officer Delgardo but we have to ask", Kenzi began, "have you had any contact with Officer Matthews in the last 24 hours".

"Not since she shot me in the chest and left me for dead", Z snorted sarcastically, "and something tells me you're not truly sorry".

"I beg your pardon", Kenzi cried in shock.

"You've had it in for Charlie from the very beginning", Z fired back, "no wonder she felt like no one trust her".

"Yeah and look how trusting her turned out for you", Kenzi countered, "the only bed Charlie got you into was a hospital bed".

Fury pounded through Z's veins and for a brief second she wanted to slap the arrogance out of the Special Operations Officer. A firm hand on her arm immediately pulled her back from the edge, "Now you listen here", Jack began before realising that he didn't know who Kenzi was, "whoever you are, just because you wear a fancy uniform doesn't give you the right to insult Z like".

"No but this badge give me the right to question a person of interest how I see fit", Kenzi flashed her SPD licence in the former red ranger's direction.

"Mackenzie enough", Andros scolded his daughter, "I thought I raised you to show respect to others". The yellow Space Ranger retreated into herself, mumbling an apology, "Arguing amongst ourselves never works, I learned that from bitter experience". Z once again noted the haunted look in Andros's eyes, like an old soldier remembering a long forgotten battle, "A Squad might know all of our tactics so maybe it's time to create something new". Once again he offered the Omega Morpher to Jack, "To do that, we need the team as strong as possible".

This time Jack didn't hesitate, taking the morpher from Andros and strapping it tightly to his wrist, "As Omega Ranger you are technically outside the ranking system employed by SPD", Cruger continued, "however Sky is your leader and I would expect you to treat him with the same respect he showed you as leader".

Jack looked like her wanted to comment on the times that Sky was less than respectful but a firm shake of Z's head stopped him immediately, "I will do Doggie", a stern cough from the Commander quickly followed, "Sorry Sir, that will take some getting used to", he added, "but this is a one time deal. Once A Squad is arrested I'm out, I quite like my civilian life".

"Understood Jack", Andros nodded, "now you're all dismissed, I need to have a thorough debriefing with Officers Hammond and Johnson". Z read between the lines, the two Special Ops officer were about to get a telling off from Andros the father and honorary uncle, not Supreme Commander Andros.

As B Squad meandered away Z hung back slightly, still a little freaked out but her dream earlier in the day. Despite everything that Charlie had done, she still couldn't shake her feelings away. Was the dream a prophetic message of a battle to come? Whilst she hoped that Charlie wouldn't be so cold hearted, she had to accept that she was on the other side now. Further down the corridor she heard Bridge announce a welcome back party for the returning Jack. Z smiled vaguely, the last thing she wanted to do right now was celebrate.


	23. I Hate Myself For Loving You

_Chapter 23 – I Hate Myself For Loving You_

Several days after Jack's surprise return to SPD, Z finally found a few hours to herself to grab some solitude. The new Omega Ranger was acting like an over protective older brother, afraid that she would crumble at a second's notice. Truth be told the yellow ranger's day was too busy with training to allow her thoughts to linger on Charlie for too long. The worst time was definitely at night because everything seemed to remind her of the erstwhile green ranger.

None of Charlie's stuff had been taken from their shared room which came as a surprise. The renegade ranger's laptop was missing, probably taken by Charlie to conceal any trail that would lead them to A Squad. A few token items had been removed by Commander Cruger but everything else remained exactly where Charlie left them on the day she departed. On her first day back in the room, Z was sorely tempted to smash up every last remnant and memory of the woman. Fortunately the angel on her shoulder won that internal debate, petty vandalism really wasn't the answer.

For the following few nights Z casually ignored the other half of the room, opting to change with her back to Charlie's abandoned bed or scurrying away before her gaze could linger on her stuff for too long. Tonight though her resolve finally cracked and Z found herself rummaging through Charlie's closet and dresser. Initially she was looking for any clue that could explain why she had betrayed the team but it soon became apparent to Z that she was just looking for something to her of Charlie. The penny dropped when the yellow ranger caught herself sniffing one of Charlie's discarded sweaters just to remind her of Charlie's scent. That's when Z knew she had to get out, quickly grabbing her jacket and leaving Delta Base far behind.

Almost without realising it, Z quickly found her way to her secret spot near Toby's bar. She sat on the edge of the roof and allowed the cool evening breeze to whip through her hair. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore, Charlie had been a loyal and dedicated member of B Squad until just a few days ago. Despite what people said Z firmly believed that the renegade ranger had changed. Then there was the presence of Special Operations, especially Kenzi Hammond. The pair had a pretty good rapport the first time they met but now the yellow Space Ranger had done a complete one eighty and turned into a cold, heartless woman.

It wasn't just those things either, Commander Cruger had been strangely subdued recently. Most put it down to the stress of recent events but Z suspected there was something else in play. Even their missing prisoner Michael DiAngleo, there seemed to be no logical reason for him to be taken. Everything was so damn frustrating that Z felt like screaming at the top of her lungs from the rooftop. Realising this was real life and not some cheesy movie, Z settled for a loud groan instead.

Something suddenly caught her attention in the corner of her eye, there was a second shadow on the roof. Z slowly reached into her jacket for her weapon when a familiar voice stopped her, "Hands where I can see them Lizzy". Z's blood ran cold and very slowly she swung her legs over the edge of the roof and turned around.

Standing in the middle of her favourite spot without a care in the world was Charlie, her face an unreadable and neutral mask. Several thoughts ran through Z's head as she slowly got to her feet, unfortunately most of them weren't particularly pure. Charlie was wearing possibly the tightest green top she owned and teamed it with a pair of shiny metallic leggings that clung to every curve of her body. It even looked like she had spent time on her hair and makeup. This wasn't a woman too concerned about staying hidden, this was a bold and dangerous woman looking for trouble. Z was almost ashamed to admit it but she really didn't care what Charlie had done in the past. She wanted this woman more than anything, "Close your mouth Lizzy, you'll catch flies otherwise".

Z cursed that cocky smile of Charlie's, somehow that woman knew exactly what buttons to push. She tried to let go of those thoughts and remember that she was an SPD Officer, not some horny teenager on her first date. "I really should place you under arrest", Z began, trying to keep her cool.

"And yet here I am", Charlie opened her arms, showing that was definitely still a free woman, "Roboto or Doctor Strange would've done it by now, hell even Officer Barbie would've stuffed me into a card by now".

"So you're saying I'm the weak link", Z snapped and quickly whipped out her Delta Morpher, "I'm not the weakest link in our chain", she added defiantly.

Instead of looking terrified of going back into confinement, Charlie actually chuckled softly, "All this talk about capture, weak links and chains", the green ranger mockingly waived her hand to fan herself, "getting me a little hot under the collar Liz". She inched closer almost daring Z to activate the judgement function, "Aren't you a little bit interest to know if I'm guilty", she shrugged.

"Of course you're guilty", Z countered, "you wouldn't have been put away the first time if you weren't".

"Not for that crime, even I'll admit my guilt to falling under Grumm thrall", Charlie began, "surely Hammond and her father have been filling your heads with a list of our crimes". Z froze for a moment, how did Charlie know all this?" "So they have", Charlie snorted, "don't you find it funny that A Squad were never retrospectively charged with any of those supposed crimes".

That got Z's grey cells flashing, retrospective sentencing wasn't common but as long as the statute of limitation on the alleged crime hadn't expired, additional time on their sentence or transference to a more suitable method of imprisonment could be applied. The crimes that Special Operations had listed must've been known to them months ago, "So you're telling me you were set up?"

"Not just a pretty face Lizzy", Charlie smiled, "you're almost there but not quite".

A small part of her wanted to believe Charlie but she had been burned before and Z wasn't going to make that mistake again, "So you break your team out of prison and retreat to the Newtech underground?" Z snorted, "what's next, are you going to act as soldiers of fortune?"

Charlie's face turned stony serious, "Something tells me you're not taking this seriously".

"Not taking this seriously?" Z shrieked, "your buddy Ivan dropped me off the top of building and you", she took a couple of confident steps closer, "shot me in the chest for reasons that I still don't understand".

"Lizzy calm down, you need to hear me out", Charlie began to back away defensive.

Z though stepped forward and swung a fist at Charlie. The attack was sloppy and easily blocked but the intent was clear, "You lost the right to call me that", the yellow ranger snarled and kicked out toward her former team mate.

Charlie dropped down and rolled behind Z, adopting a defensive guard, "Fine if you won't listen to reason", she snapped and aimed a punch of her own. After enduring days of frustration Z was practically ready to explode. Her attacks were fast, furious and fuelled with anger. Unfortunately that made her offense a little haphazard, "You shouldn't fight angry", Charlie warned, "nothing good ever comes of it".

"Stop telling me what to do", Z hissed, each word punctuated by a fast kick aimed towards Charlie's mid section. The renegade ranger stepped backwards to avoid contact, extending her arms downloads to deflect the blows. By now the pair was approaching the edge of the roof, "Just tell me why", Z cried, "I bared my soul and you blew me aside".

"Really wish I could Lizzy", Charlie commented and if Z hadn't been fuelled by her anger, she would've heard the sad tone in Charlie's voice. Mere feet away from the edge of the roof Z attempted a low leg sweep but the renegade ranger leapt out the way and onto the elevated ledge, "Don't try it Liz, I have the high ground", she called out.

Z wasn't listening and jumped towards Charlie, only for the green ranger to move out the way at the last moment. Z's foot slipped and for a fraction of a second, all she could see underneath her was the ground several storeys below. Before gravity took hold Charlie grasped her arm firmly and pulled her back to safety. The pair rolled together across the roof top until they came to rest with Charlie on top and very firmly pressed against her body.

The yellow ranger's mind was awash, the adrenaline of the fight was beginning to ebb away and she was beginning to realise how close she had been to falling off a roof for the second time in a week. This time though she wouldn't have a Ranger suit to protect her from the painful and probable fatal impact with the sideway. She barely even registered Charlie's presence until the green ranger placed her hands on Z's cheeks and placed a firm kiss on her lips.

To say Z was surprised would be an understatement and for a brief moment she wondered if she was dreaming again. Charlie let her come up for air, a look of concern on her face, "Don't ever scare me like that again", she pleaded with the yellow ranger. Tired from the week's events, Z desperately wanted to feel something. Her head darted towards Charlie, their lips meeting once again. Z grabbed Charlie's hair, her fingers running through the dark locks. Charlie tasted surprisingly sweet and her lips were every bit as soft and inviting as she had dreamed about.

Charlie's lips parted, almost inviting Z's tongue to seek entrance. The yellow ranger willingly obliged, allowing her tongue to fight for dominance over her partner's. Charlie's tongue found a sensitive spot underneath the top of Z's lip and the yellow ranger shuddered with pleasure. The green ranger followed it up with a few small and gentle nibbles on her lower lip, almost teasing Z with what was to come.

Suddenly Z remembered where she was and who she was with. It was like a shocking and freezing cold shower, "Stop", she pushed Charlie away forcefully. The green ranger looked stunned and almost a little hurt. Instinctive Z had summoned a duplicate of herself to pull Charlie off her own body. The copy tossed the renegade across the roof dismissively as Z stumbled to her feet.

Just as Charlie got to her knees, Z delivered a crushing right hook to the green ranger's jaw that sent her sprawling back to the floor, "Just because you saved my life doesn't make you a good person". Z wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, "I told you, I'm not the weak link".

A small part of Z expected Charlie to lunge at her but the SPD traitor stayed in a crouched position for several seconds. Blood was dripping from her mouth and nose, pooling on the roof in a small crimson puddle. Charlie slowly and unsteadily got to her feet and wiped the excess blood from her face with her hand. She turned away from Z and spat some more blood onto the roof, "Sandstorm", she mumbled, "if you won't trust me then ask Cruger about Operation Sandstorm".

Z blinked and remained rooted to the spot as Charlie slowly walked away without a second glance in her direction. She expected Charlie to return any second but the green ranger grabbed a discarded jacket and jumped down onto the fire escape with barely any fanfare.

The adrenaline had definitely worn off and Z's legs were very shaky. Her shoulder, which had healed quickly thanks to her Ranger powers, was beginning to throb. The yellow ranger found a small ledge next to an air conditioning vent and sat down to gather her breath. Charlie might've been her usual cocky self but she certainly wasn't the aggressor in their fight. She had even saved Z from certain death when she very easily could've let her fall.

The name Sandstorm really stuck with her, it sounded like some covert mission but could the explanation really be that simple? She would've run back to Delta Base to confront Cruger immediately but a second thought quickly flashed across her brain. If Charlie had been on an assignment all this time, that meant Z had nearly broken her jaw for no reason. It slowly began to dawn on her that she might've lost Charlie but for a whole different reason than she originally believed. It took Z several minutes to regain enough composure to move her legs, her head was too much of a mess to undertake even the simplest tasks right now.

 _ **A/N –**_ _I've had this chapter or a similar scene in mind ever since I conceived the story. I really enjoyed writing it and I hope you enjoy it too._

 _Now you might've noticed that I tend to name my chapters after song or album title. To add to your enjoyment, maybe reread the chapter whilst listening to "I Hate Myself For Loving You" by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts. Gives the chapter a real bite I feel. _


	24. Jigsaw

_Chapter 24 – Jigsaw_

The walk back to Delta Base took Z so long that it was approaching midnight by the time she arrived. The yellow ranger gave the security guard on the front desk a small nod and swiped herself through the barriers. All the way back she had been thinking about Charlie and their conversation. The more she thought about it, the more it felt like a missing piece of the puzzle had been slotted into place. Perhaps she was trying to convince herself that Charlie was actually on their side, or maybe the emotional side of her brain was overriding her common sense. She had to get answers and she needed them tonight.

Stepping into the elevator and pushing the button for the Command Room, Z knew that Cruger would still be there. He was always the first one to arrive and the last to leave, so much so that B Squad wondered if he actually slept at all. She had practiced their conversation many times in her head but somehow the yellow ranger knew that it wasn't going to be as simple as she thought. Cruger liked to play his cards close to his chest, he wasn't likely to divulge mission sensitive information to her easily.

The lift pinged to announce its arrival on the correct floor and Z quickly marched out. She stepped boldly into the Command Room and as predicted, Commander Cruger was there. The one person she wasn't expecting to see was Kenzi Hammond. Somehow that woman seemed to be involved in absolutely everything that happened recently. Her presence was unexpected but it wasn't going to deter Z, "Officer Delgardo", Cruger began warily, "shouldn't you be getting some rest, you're on duty early tomorrow".

The Commander must've sensed this wasn't going to be a normal conversation and Z thought about the best way to begin. After a few seconds she decided on the direct approach, "Sandstorm", she stated, "I want to know about Operation Sandstorm".

As expected Cruger was completely impassive in response to the request but Kenzi was a different story. There was a look of genuine surprise coupled with a sly look towards the Commander. That was all Z needed to know she was on the right track, "I have no idea what you're talking about Delgardo", Cruger replied gruffly.

"I think you do Commander", Z pressed her point home, "I had an interesting conversation with Charlie this evening". She paused and waited for any kind of response from the pair but she didn't get one. Everything was finally becoming clear, "I tell you that I've spoken to one of SPD's most wanted and yet you don't say a word", Z snorted, "so I'll ask again, Operation Sandstorm what is it?"

"None of your concern", Cruger barked, "no one outside a select few should know of its identity".

"So it does exist", Z threw her arm into the air, "you've been playing us the entire time". Her anger bubbled to the surface, the team had been lied to and the woman she loved had been placed in terrible danger.

Cruger stood up from his desk and leaned forward, "I think you're allowing your emotions to get the best of you Delgardo".

"At least I have some", Z snapped angrily, "Charlie's doing something incredibly dangerous on your orders-".

"Officer Matthews volunteered for-" Kenzi tried to enter the conversation".

"Bullshit", Z barked, "you can stay out of this", she pointed at Kenzi, "this was all part of her assignment from day one wasn't it". She was met with a wall of silence once again but she didn't need either of them to confirm her theory.

"This isn't open for discussion Officer Delgardo", Cruger replied calmly, "sleep this off and I expect you on duty at 0700 as planned".

Z couldn't believe what she was hearing, she had been dismissed without even a token explanation. That was the final straw, "No", she stated simply and pulled out her Delta Morpher, "this isn't the first time you've kept secrets from us. The only person who's been truly honest with me is the supposed traitor so what does that tell you". She marched over to Cruger's desk and slammed down her morpher, "Find yourself another yellow ranger", she placed her blaster on the desk next to her morpher, "I quit".

Turning on her heel, Z marched out the room before Cruger could respond. With that off her chest Z felt a lot lighter but it slowly began to dawn on her what she had just done, she had quit the only job she ever had. Unlike Jack she didn't have a backup plan to fall back on and without SPD, Z wouldn't have anywhere to live. Panic began to set in as Z suddenly realised that she would have to go back to living on the streets again.

Before a full blown panic attack could set it, a firm hand grabbed her around the bicep and began dragging her down the corridor, "Kenzi, what the hell are you doing?" she demanded.

"Stopping you from making the biggest mistake of your life", the Special Ops officer replied. They stopped by an unmarked door, "Get in there", the brunette opened the door and practically threw Z inside.

The room was barely big enough for the two women and it was a tight squeeze when Kenzi stepped inside. Most of the room was filled up with computer servers with just a small and ancient looking glass screen monitor opposite the door. "Hey you can't just push me around", Z poked Kenzi in the chest, "what is your problem with me?"

"I don't have a problem with you Z", Kenzi stated softly, "this is all part of the act". Z frowned slightly in confusion, "You wanted to know about Sandstorm, right?"

"Yeah", Z replied slowly, "but are you allowed to tell me anything? Cruger seemed pretty intent on staying silent".

"Shame it's not his mission, it's mine", Kenzi snorted, "stubborn old dog, always sticking his nose in where it's not wanted". Kenzi reached into her uniform jacket and squeezed past Z to reach the server rack furthest from the door, "Sandstorm is much bigger than anything you've ever worked on before", she continued, "My father started working on this when he was still the red Space Ranger. He might've handed his morpher over to my brother but Sandstorm was given to me to finish what he started".

Now Z really was lost, just what had Special Operations been working on for all this time? If this was about the mole in SPD, why hadn't they done something about whoever it was sooner? "What do you know about the Armada?" Kenzi asked her fellow yellow ranger.

Sadly Z knew all about the Armada, their forces had killed her adopted parents when she still in Elementary school. Their attacks knocked out a lot of infrastructure across the country and there was no system to place her into foster care. She ended up as a statistic, one of the thousands of so called 'Lost Children' who disappeared onto the streets. "I know what they cost me", she replied bitterly, "and what damage they did but other than that, not too much".

"Not many do", Kenzi pulled a data stick into the server hub and booted up the system, "the Armada isn't even their true name. The actual name doesn't translate very well into English or any Earth language that well". She paused for a few seconds to allow an image to form on the screen, "My father determined that the Armada was once the mightiest empire in the known universe, conquering worlds and levelling civilisations before moving on to their next target".

The image moved on to show some people who were familiar to Z, "Like most empires it soon began to fragment. There were many different reasons, some grew sick of travelling others thought they could do a better job than the Armada and wanted to conquer a part of the galaxy for themselves".

"Like Master Vile", Z pointed at the picture on screen, "took over the M51 galaxy and established a base there".

"You do know your Ranger history", Kenzi smiled, "Vile was part of one of the larger splinter groups from the Armada, you'll know them as the United Alliance of Evil".

"Led by Dark Specter who your parents defeated in battle", Z added.

Kenzi nodded, "Well not in one on one combat but they were there when he fell. With the fall of the UAE, the Armada took over the M51 Galaxy and used it as a launch pad to overrun Sirius". Z's eyes widened at the name of the planet, "Which you'll know as the home planet of Commander Cruger and his wife", Kenzi added.

The image continued to change showing other enemies Z knew from her Ranger history lessons, "Several other Ranger enemies have shared links with the Armada, the infamous warload Scorpius occasionally dealt with them. Shortly after his exile from Earth, Lothor found himself in the care of the Armada. Defeated enemies also found their way to the Armada eventually, my father's research shows several mutants, Orgs, magical creatures and Nighlock amongst the employ of their empire".

It was a lot of information for Z to take in but slowly she was absorbing everything Kenzi was telling her, "So we're after some kind of mastermind", she slowly rationalised, "someone who's been pulling the strings of the Power Rangers for years".

"Good guess but no", Kenzi chuckled, "I can see why Cruger thinks highly of you Z". The yellow ranger blushed at the praise but she was certain that her stock would've plummeted after quitting moments ago. "Truth is the mastermind was eliminated when the Armada fell eleven years ago. What we're after now the final splinter cell, the last remains of their evil".

"The Troobian Empire?" Z asked, "were they an offshoot of the Armada too?"

"Got it in one", Kenzi replied, "one thing you didn't hear in the propaganda was that the Troobians attempted to invade Karovia and Aquitar just under fifteen years ago but the respective Ranger teams on those planets easily repelled them". Kenzi leaned in a little closer, "My parents and the rest of the team had just returned from Earth, in theory they should've been gone much longer but", she paused and sighed, "well you know what happened on Earth in 2011".

Z nodded sadly, she was only too aware of what occurred on that terrible day, "No real fanfare was made about the Space Rangers leaving Karovia, the only ones who knew was the High Command of Space Patrol, the precursor organisation to SPD".

Something suddenly dawned on Z, "So the traitor's been operating ever since then?"

"Precisely", Kenzi nodded, "every time we've gotten close some road block's been thrown in our way by the Troobian Empire, a little too convenient wouldn't you say", she wiggled her eyebrows. "The latest block came when Grumm turned his attention on Earth. With the planet's primary defenders, A Squad, missing in action, surely conquering the planet would've been easy. Shame Grumm didn't count on five rookie rangers", Kenzi nudged Z on the shoulder.

Z smirked slightly, "Kicking ass and taking names, that's the B Squad way". There was one question on her lips and she was almost afraid to ask. Swallowing her concerns she decided to ask anyway, "Those crimes you listed against A Squad a few days ago, were any of them true?"

Kenzi slowly shook her head, "Nope all a total fabrication", she tapped a few commands into the server, "now I'm pretty sure you or one of your team would've gone looking for some information after our little conversation and would've found something like this".

The yellow ranger quickly scanned some official looking SPD records and reports which seemed to back up everything Kenzi had said, "Bridge found this stuff, even went as far to hack into the confidential stuff". Suddenly Z remembered who she was talking to, "Pretend I didn't say that".

"Oh I already know", Kenzi waived it off, "Officer Carson is good but not that good". Z breathed a sigh of relief, "This stuff might look official but it's all a lie, someone planted this evidence to discredit A Squad and basically paint them out to be terrible human beings".

"So A Squad's initial defection", Z asked in hope, "was that all a lie too?"

"No", Kenzi quickly shut that thought down, "Charlie has already admitted to leading them down that rabbit hole". The Space Ranger paused for a moment, "But that doesn't mean someone didn't push them in that direction".

Z's head was spinning now, a mixture of exhaustion, pain medication and her earlier fight with Charlie were clouding her thoughts. There was something that caught her eye on screen, "Matthews Holding Incorporated", she read out loud, "that's Charlie's family business isn't it?" Kenzi nodded in confirmation, "What have they got to do with this?"

"Still working on that", Kenzi answered, "which is precisely why she's gone undercover with A Squad in the hope of finding out some answers".

"I knew it", Z grinned broadly, her heart soaring in the knowledge that Charlie hadn't willingly turned back to the dark side. She was about to punch the air until she realised exactly where she was and who she was with, "Sorry, got a little carried away", she mumbled.

Kenzi though merely grinned in response, "Yes the feelings between the two of you weren't something I planned for. Truthfully I was surprised that the team even accepted her at all but Charlie's a good person and the rest of A Squad are decent people too", she sighed, "they've just lost their way a little".

"Then I'll do whatever I can to help", Z's face suddenly fell, remembering that she had quit just a few minutes ago. Kenzi reached back into her jacket to retrieve Z's morpher and weapon, "But I left these on Cruger's desk".

"Yes you did which was a little reckless and impulsive of you", Kenzi scolded, "next time you do that you'd better really mean it because Cruger won't give you another chance". Relief washed over Z, the Commander hadn't accepted her resignation after all, "You're going to have to control that and your feelings for Charlie, the next time you meet it will probably be on the battlefield".

Z wanted to say that they had already fought on a battlefield but decided not to push her luck anymore tonight. She moved towards the door but Kenzi stopped, "You can't breathe a word of this to the others, not yet at least".

"But they deserve to know", Z pleaded.

"Absolutely but until our traitor makes their move we have to maintain cover", Kenzi replied, "we might not get another shot at this Z", the Special Ops officer implored. "I'm trusting you with this information, don't let me down".

The newly reinstated yellow ranger nodded, accepting Kenzi's terms and quickly left the tight confines of the room before she changed her mind. Every fibre of Z's being wanted to skip back to her quarters but that could give the game away. She did feel like she was walking on air though, Charlie clearly returned her feelings otherwise she wouldn't have risked breaking cover to meet her on the rooftop. All Z had to do the next time they met was apologise for punching her in the face and everything would be right with the world.

 _ **A/N –**_ _There you go, some answers to Charlie's sudden heel turn. I've always imagined that A Squad started off as decent SPD Officers, I mean they wouldn't have gotten as far as they did by being horrible and evil people. Do you think that Cruger would've allowed them to get to where they did if they were bad people all along?_

 _Some of you, including a very loyal guest reviewer Amelia (wish you had an account so we could talk about the story away from author note and reviews) have wanted to see some A Squad interaction. You wish is my command as next time, we see how Charlie's evening finished after the fight on the roof._


	25. Bad Reputation

_Chapter 25 – Bad Reputation_

On the outskirts of the city sat the walled compound belonging to alleged crime lord Michael DiAngelo. The house itself was practically a mansion that almost rivalled the Hartford Mansion, a property that used to stand in the city of San Angeles. The house was surrounded by an imposing ring of steel and concrete designed to keep out almost anything that the world could throw at it. Along with the impressive house came an equally impressive private parking lot filled with several brand new and expensive cars. Sitting behind the wheel of a shiny black Mercedes was Charlie Matthews, however, cars was the last thing on her mind.

The green ranger had the car's sun visor down to utilise the small mirror built into the fabric. Charlie winced the moment she saw the purple bruise on her jawline, "Lizzy you really pack a punch", she groaned. Along with the swelling bruise, there was a black eye slowing forming and some dried blood underneath her nose. Using a bottle of water stashed in the cup holder, Charlie swilled a bit in her mouth before spitting the contents out the window. The bleeding in her mouth must've stopped as the liquid on the ground was perfectly clear.

Not too concerned about the car she borrowed from Michael DiAngelo, Charlie tore off some fabric from the passenger's seat. Using the water bottle again, she dabbed some cool liquid on to the leather before patting the blood on her nose. "Son of a bitch", she swore as a stabbing pain shot through her nose.

She couldn't be mad with Z, it probably wasn't the best idea to have tracked her down. As far as the yellow ranger knew Charlie was a traitor and wasn't to be trusted. She probably should've counted herself lucky that she wasn't shot on sight. After blasting Z a few days ago it was probably all she deserved. It didn't matter that she was technically undercover, she had caused deliberate harm to the woman she loved. A broken nose and black eye was the least she deserved.

The beginning of this insane plan could be traced back to a surprise visit around six months ago. Her containment card had been unsealed and after a quick shower, she was dumped into an interview room. To her surprise sitting on the other side of the table was Supreme Commander Andros and his daughter Kenzi Hammond. They gave her a quick overview of Operation Sandstorm and the traitor within SPD and practically begged for her help.

Charlie distinctly remembered breaking into a laugh at that moment. She had been locked away for several months and now SPD had come running for help. The former red ranger wanted to refuse them on the spot but Kenzi made her an offer she couldn't refuse. A full pardon together with a completely clean slate and once their mission was over, freedom to do whatever she wanted.

Almost instantly Charlie suspected there was a major condition to their terms and unfortunately she was right. B Squad was struggling to fill the green ranger spot on their team so Charlie would be parachuted into the vacancy. That's when Charlie suspected Kenzi Hammond was either completely reckless or totally insane. She expected the former red ranger to drop down two ranks and join up with the SPD Squad that sent her to prison, all to find some traitor within SPD. For the second time Charlie was inclined to refuse the generous offer.

Kenzi and Andros had saved their trump cards until the end though. The traitor had known connections to her parents but what those connection were, they had absolutely no idea. Charlie had an awful, almost nonexistent relationship with her family and the chance to get back at them for years of emotional torment was too good to refuse. It was certainly better than paying for a psychiatrist at least.

The final straw was the rectonned mission reports that the Supreme Commander showed the former Ranger. The reports and half truths painted A Squad as a bunch of unhinged psychopaths who made even the worst dictators look like Saints. Charlie could handle her name getting dragged through the mud but the rest of her team deserved better. Sure they might've been arrogant assholes but they were decent people, well until Emperor Grumm entered the picture anyway.

Truth be told A Squad were ripe for a heel turn when they departed Earth on that reconnaissance mission at the beginning of 2025. The squad's level of arrogance was at its peak, something which Charlie now attributed to the relatively simple assignments they had been given over the previous year. When Grumm's forces shot their transport ship down, the sudden and quick defeat came as something of a shock. Fuelled by the belief in their own superiority, A Squad came to believe that Grumm would easily overcome Earth's defences. After all they were the best the planet had to offer, if they could be beaten then surely everyone else would crumble in defeat.

B Squad's eventual defeat of Charlie's team and then Grumm was a humbling and sobering experience. Maybe they weren't the best in the world after all and the long, lonely months in containment allowed Charlie to think about nothing else. Her team had done some questionable things whilst under Grumm employ but nothing like the reports portrayed them. The more Charlie considered the evidence, it was probably the traitor who pushed all the easy missions their way. Even more likely it was probably this traitor who told Grumm exactly where to find their transport vessel. Her team had been manipulated and Charlie wanted to get revenge on the bastard who did this.

Charlie had been back inside the compound for over ten minutes and if she was honest, she was stalling for time. The team had teased her mercilessly for going after Z tonight, the ribbing she was going to get for returning with a busted nose and bruised face was going to be horrendous. Deciding that she had put it off for long enough she stepped out the car and entered through a side door into the house.

The DiAngelo residence was so vast that on the first night, Cliff had gone off to use the bathroom and didn't return. They eventually found him three hours later wondering around the upper levels because he couldn't find his way back. The worst part was that he hadn't even found the bathroom, instead he found a vacant room somewhere on the first floor and relieved himself there. The rest of the team immediately decided to avoid the upper levels all together, just to be safe.

The team had set up residence in what they thought was the main living room. They found five mattresses and moved them into two adjoining rooms, creating makeshift quarters for each other. They had also moved anything they classes as entertainment equipment, televisions, computer consoles and the like, into the room. When Charlie entered the room she found Cliff and Rachel playing pool in one corner whilst Ivan and Beevor was watching a movie on one of the big screen. The moment Rachel laid her eyes on Charlie, she let out a small snort of laughter, "Well if it isn't the black ranger", the Asian woman chuckled.

"Nah, I'd call her the purple ranger personally", Cliff added. Charlie smiled sarcastically in responded and promptly flipped him off, "Ooh someone's touchy tonight", the green ranger continued, "I take it she didn't put out?"

"Maybe she like it rough", Ivan's voice called out from the opposite end of the room.

Charlie seethed internally, the comments were meant in good humour but she didn't want to hear them talking about Z in that way. The B Squad ranger wasn't one of her conquests, she felt something much deeper for the woman, "Guys knock it off alright", she snapped, "at least pretend you're civilised human beings".

"Charlie's in love", Rachel teased in a sing song voice. Charlie shot her fiercest glare at the pink ranger, "Chill out girl", she continued, "I've got just the thing to cure a broken heart". Charlie noticed the pink ranger reach underneath the pool table and wondered what she was doing, "Think fast", Rachel cried.

A Squad's leader noticed something flashing towards her and briefly wondered if Rachel had discovered her secret. She was slightly relieved to see that it was a bottle of beer coming her way until she realised that getting hit by a glass bottle would still really hurt. Instinctively she stuck out a hand and effortlessly plucked the bottle out the air, "She's not concussed", Cliff sniggered and returned to his game of pool.

"Yeah cause that's exactly how a doctor perfoms a concussion test", Charlie grumbled. Deciding to ignore the green and pink ranger's, she wondered over to the sofa and plopped down between Ivan and Beevor. In all the time she had known the blue ranger, she had never once heard him utter a word. She always knew what was on his mind though. Like now for example as Beevor had an amused look in his eyes, "Not you too big guy", she sighed, "you were my last hope for a grown up conversation".

Beevor shrugged dismissively before plucking the cap off Charlie's beer with his bare hands. The A Squad red ranger took a long drink from the bottle then placed the chilled glass against her throbbing jaw, "Still doesn't put you in my good books", she snorted towards the blue ranger.

"Maybe this is a sign", Ivan prodded Charlie in the side, "cut all ties with your past life". Charlie thought about his words for a few moments, A Squad still saw Z and the rest of B Squad as the enemy. Maybe enemies was a harsh description, rivals was probably a better word to use.

None of A Squad knew who had released them from containment, at least that was the impression Charlie was getting. They could've been lying but if they were, they were extremely convincing. Cliff had relayed an unbelievable tale of a hooded stranger releasing them in a dingy warehouse somewhere on the East Coast. The stranger told them to clean up and report to Newtech City where they were instructed to attack and release Michael DiAngelo. If they completed their task, they would be rewarded handsomely.

Only their reward hadn't arrived and in desperation, Cliff and Rachel had tracked Charlie down and practically begged for her assistance. The chance meeting came as a gift from the heavens for the red ranger. She had spent almost all her waking hours planning how to do rejoin A Squad as part of her own assignment. During their meeting she wove a story about how she was the advanced party, sent to infiltrate SPD to get revenge on B Squad. Her former team mates ate it up and gave her the access codes to the compound.

Immediately upon rejoining it became clear to Charlie that someone was using A Squad as their own personal mercenaries. On their orders of their mysterious benefactor, Charlie was made to turn over any personal electronic devices. With all external communications cut off, the only means of contact was a lap top which had limited internet access and a built in email account. On two occasions they received instructions as to their next steps, one of these was to lure B Squad to the warehouse as an ambush. Charlie still wasn't happy that Ivan dropped Z off the roof and a few choice words were exchanged between the pair.

The group could still leave the compound although they guessed their movements were being monitored closely. Charlie had the bright idea to disable as many security cameras in the area as possible. It served a dual purpose, to stop any unwanted snooping on their movement and to let Kenzi and Cruger know she was alright.

That brought her back to the present, holed up in what was effectively an expensive prison with four people who she had once considered friends. A Squad were like a sports team, good comrades and willing to fight for each other to gain victory but it was on B Squad that she truly found lifelong friends. If they would ever speak to her again after this, "This rivalry is getting a little old", Charlie sighed, "can't we all just get along".

"Get along?" Cliff snorted, immediately forgetting about his game, "if I recall you were the one who encouraged us to assert ourselves over them several months ago".

Charlie winced internally, she knew that idea would come back to bite her, "Yeah and look where that got us", she replied pragmatically.

"They got lucky", Ivan grunted.

"No we got beaten", Charlie said firmly, "we would get to the bottom of this mystery much quicker if we asked for their help".

"Yeah look how far that got you today", Rachel said sarcastically, "face it, we're on our own here".

The mood became despondent in the room as A Squad suddenly realised how much trouble they were in. Five judged criminals trying to evade the might of SPD whilst trying to avoid falling foul of their mystery benefactor. "Look I don't like it either", Charlie slipped into her old persona, "but how long before the guy on the end of his computer asks us to kill someone for him". Her team looked at each other nervously, "We told Grumm that was a line we wouldn't cross and it's exactly the same here".

"At least with Grumm we were free", Ivan grumbled, "now we locked up like sheep with the big bad wolf waiting for us".

Charlie shook off the yellow ranger's weird analogy along with his misty eyed longing for Emperor Grumm. Buried in his strange words though was a good point. Inside the compound they were sitting ducks because none of them knew if the place had been booby trapped in case they tried to go against their orders. Before she arrived the others had made a cursory sweep of the building and found nothing but that didn't mean the place was clean. If their 'employer' turned against them, no one would notice for a long time. Not even B Squad would be able to breach the defences quickly enough to mount a rescue.

"Charlie we've been set up as the bad guys", Cliff began, "that's a story the public would buy very quickly".

"I'm not sure I understand", Charlie frowned.

"Look at us", Rachel picked up the green ranger's train of thought, "an African American, an Asian, a Russian and an alien. There's four minorities that the public have always trusted and respected", she added bitterly.

"Easy to believe we were evil masterminds", Ivan sniffed, "allows true bad guy to get away with it".

Charlie didn't think of it like that before, just how much planning had gone into the creation of A Squad by the traitor? Throw in the spoilt rich kid and you had an almost perfect group of ready made scapegoats. Now she was back in the fold, it was probably only a matter of time until the endgame began. Seconds later Charlie wished she hadn't thought that as the laptop chimed, "His ears must've been burning", Cliff snorted and grabbed the laptop from the floor.

The A Squad green ranger seemed to have designated himself as the group leader in Charlie's absence and truthfully she was more than happy to allow that to continue, for now at least. She would have to make it clear that she was the leader on the battlefield quickly though. Reading through the email over Cliff's shoulder a feeling of dread washed over her, "Looks like our services are required at the docks tomorrow morning", she grumbled.

"Great", Cliff snapped the laptop shut angrily, "if I ever get my hands on this guy I'm going to snap his skinny neck".

"Save some for me", Ivan commented just as Beevor cracked his knuckles, "and big blue here".

"We should probably get to bed then", Rachel said before looking over at Charlie, "you coming Caz?"

Charlie nodded vaguely, "Yeah in a minute, gonna finish my beer and ice my face first". The others nodded vaguely and retreated to their respective rooms, leaving Charlie alone. Immediately she grabbed the laptop and opened it back up again. She reached under the sofa cushion and retrieved a data stick, "Let's see how much Doctor Strange rubbed off on me", she mumbled to herself, referring to Bridge. She plugged the stick into the computer and her fingers began to move quickly over the keys. If A Squad were going to be at the docks tomorrow then she was going to make sure that B Squad was there waiting for them.


	26. Stuck In A Moment

_Chapter 26 – Stuck In A Moment_

Sleep wasn't coming easily for Z tonight, the yellow ranger was still pumped up from her earlier rooftop scrap with Charlie and the revelation that the green ranger was actually on her side. She kept having the same recurring dream every time she tried to settle down to sleep. It started off on the same roof and their pair were battling as they had been just hours ago. The only difference this time was that Z won and won convincingly. Towering over her fallen opponent, the yellow ranger suddenly filled with compassion and crouched down over Charlie. The whole thing was a rouse though and the green ranger pulled Z down so the yellow ranger was straddling her waist. Z wiped some of the blood away from Charlie's mouth and leaned forward for a kiss, her mouth hovering inches away from Charlie's.

That's where the dream cut out every time and Z woke with a start. Instead of trying to go back to sleep, this time the yellow ranger checked the time on her clock, "5:43am", she sighed, "too early to get up but too late to try and sleep". Almost completely awake she rolled over to face the empty side of her quarters. Charlie's empty bed reminded her of the green ranger's absence from the Base. Her dreams must be a sign of frustration she thought to herself, not just a sexual frustration but a desperate need just to be in Charlie's presence. It was an ache that filled every fibre of her being. Of course this was assuming that the green ranger forgave her for almost shattering her jaw.

With nothing better to do Z decided to get up, at least she would some breakfast before Bridge commandeered all the toast as usual. Grabbing her phone from a small cabinet next to her bed, Z optimistically checked for any messages. The only person outside Delta Base would had her number was Jack so it was usually a fruitless check.

Today though was different as when Z unlocked her phone, there was a text message waiting for her. It wasn't from a number she recognised, in fact there was no number displayed, "What the hell", Z frowned, debating whether to open the message. Her curiosity got the best of her and she tapped the screen to display the message. Her frown only deepened as her eyes scanned the message:

 _Docks 0700, traitor shipment unload. Team will be there make sure to bring your B Game Lizzy_

Z's eyes widened, somehow Charlie had sent her a message from wherever she was. If she was reading this message correctly then Charlie and the rest of A Squad would be at the docks on some kind of mission from the SPD traitor. Suddenly she realised that 0700 was just over an hour away, that was barely enough time to mobilise B Squad and get them into position.

Without hesitation she sprinted out of her quarters and down the corridor. She barely paused to bang on the doors of the rest of the team as she continued towards her ultimate destination. Z thought about going to Commander Cruger with this information but the stubborn old dog probably wouldn't take this seriously. He certainly didn't seem interested to acknowledge the existence of Operation Sandstorm last night. There was only one person she could go to with this message.

Stopping outside the door to the guest quarters, Z banged hard on the door, "Kenzi open up", she wheezed breathlessly, "I think we've got a breakthrough". The yellow ranger kept hammering on the door until it slowly slid open. She was slightly surprised to see the Special Ops officer fully dressed in her uniform at this early hour, "Do you actually go to sleep?" she asked.

"Clearly you do", Kenzi turned the conversation back on to her fellow yellow ranger. In her haste to find Kenzi Z hadn't bothered to change. She was fortunate that no one else was awake yet, otherwise they would've seen the famous yellow ranger sprinting through the base in her flannel pyjama bottoms and a yellow tank top. "What's so urgent that it couldn't wait until I've had some coffee".

"That's what I'd like to know", a very groggy looking Syd asked, still dressed in a fuzzy pink pair of pyjamas with a matching pink eye mask pushed on to her forehead. The rest of B Squad was slowly trailing behind, each of them in varying states of post sleep dishevelment.

"I know where A Squad are going to be", Z answered and handed her cell phone over to Kenzi.

Sky rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before asking, "You got a random message with their location?" Z nodded slowly, "Who from?" the yellow ranger's guilty look told its own story, "Matthews", he groaned.

"How do you know it's from her?" Jack asked, a deep scowl on his face.

"I just do", Z snapped back, "look they're going to be at the docks in an hour, we need to get there and head them off".

"Alright say I believe you", Sky began, "why did you bring this to her", he pointed at a less than amused Kenzi, "and not the Commander or even me?"

"That's above your rank Officer Tate", Kenzi handed the phone back to Z, "get dressed B Squad, I want you on the road in fifteen minutes".

"Hold on a minute", Sky frowned, "you have no authority over us, we're not taking orders from you".

Z watched carefully, wondering what Kenzi was going to do next. Would this be the perfect moment to reveal Operation Sandstorm to the team? Instead a cold mask of indifference slipped over the Officer's face as she pushed past Sky and the others, "You do now", she stated firmly. "SPD protocol Beta One is now in operation", she added and walked off without waiting to be questioned further.

"Beta One?" Bridge repeated in confusion, "never heard of it".

"You wouldn't", Sky sighed, "only level one officers and their superiors are told of the protocol".

"In the event of an emergency any Special Operations officer can claim command of any SPD unit", Jack recalled, "still remember some things from last time", he shrugged.

An uneasy feeling settled over Z, by the sounds of it Kenzi had used a little known protocol to seize control of B Squad. That hardly seemed necessary unless Cruger was being uncooperative behind the scenes. The only other sensible reason was to avoid any arguments from B Squad at this moment. Kenzi knew the squad was extremely loyal to Cruger and wouldn't easily accept ordered from anyone, "I have a bad feeling about this", Bridge mumbled to himself. Z nodded numbly, she certainly agreed with that sentiment.

Just after 0700 hours, B Squad's cruiser pulled up at the main gate to the docks. It had taken some frantic preparations and some manic driving but somehow the quintet had made it just about in time. "SPD", Sky flashed his badge to the security officer on the gate, "we need immediate access".

The gate officer complied with the order and raised the barrier, allowing the SPD cruiser to roll inside. The docks weren't part of the main city, they were one of the few surviving parts of the old city of Preston. During the construction of Newtech City, this had been the sole gateway for supplies and workers. It had also been the home of the immigration port and security checkpoint for the arriving alien asylum seekers. That was until most of the docks were burned down in the anti-alien immigration riots in the mid 2010's. After this the fire damaged port was knocked down and never fully rebuilt. Most deliveries into Newtech were done using the Spaceport now, making the port largely obsolete.

Despite the reduced size from the past, the docks were still a maze of shipping containers and machinery. The security guard had been kind enough to give them a map of the facility but without knowing exactly where A Squad were, it would be a long search. They quickly covered as much ground as they could using the cruiser but the path through the docks soon become too narrow to traverse in their vehicle and they would have to proceed on foot.

The group slowly got out the car and took a look around. According to an intelligence report given by Kenzi no ships were due to arrive or depart from the port today. The last shipment arrived yesterday at Pier 12 which was at the far end of the facility. With no other leads they decided this would be the best place to begin. Jack though clearly had other things on his mind, "This new uniform's too tight", he grumbled, "and who thought white was a good idea, I can hardly sneak around dressed like Elvis".

Z felt a little bad for her friend. The uniform designed for the new Omega Ranger was a white pair of pants and matching jacket. The only colour on the uniform was a couple of blue bands around the pant legs and a blue sleeve on the right arm of the jacket, "Sure you're not a little out of shape", Sky teased and slapped Jack on the stomach.

"Guys can we focus", Z grumbled, she was feeling uneasy enough without hearing Sky and Jack snipe at each other for the entire journey.

"Alright sorry", Jack snorted sarcastically.

"The last time we went chasing after A Squad I got dropped off a building and shot in the chest", she snapped back, "forgive me for wanting to exercise a little caution". Memories of that day soon silenced the rest of B Squad and they shuffled along in silence. Truthfully that wasn't the only reason Z was feeling a little nervous. A small part of her wondered if Charlie was still playing with her, hoping to catch her off guard again. Whilst she was pretty confident that the green ranger was on her side, Z wasn't going to let her guard down until this was over.

As they approached Pier 12, the group could hear the sound of voices. Sky ordered his team to fall behind him and the red ranger slowly produced his Delta Blaster. The others followed suit and they inched towards the nearest container. Using his fingers Sky indicated for Jack and Z to sneak between a couple of containers in an attempt to encircle whoever was at the pier. The pair did as instructed, moved into position and await further instructions.

When Z got to the far edge of the container she allowed herself a quick peek around the corner. Immediately she spotted Charlie and the rest of A Squad huddled around a bright blue container. The group looked nervous and agitated, like they were waiting for further instructions. It confirmed part of what Kenzi told her the previous evening, A Squad were acting on the orders of someone else and were not the masterminds of this plot.

Z caught the eye of Sky at the other end of the pier and he began counting down from three. Once the count ended B Squad pounced with their weapons drawn, unfortunately A Squad were fully aware of their presence. The five members of the renegade team spun immediate and aimed their own weapons at B Squad, "You're late", Charlie snorted, "I don't like being kept waiting".

"Sorry to disappoint", Sky replied, "how about you put the weapons down and we'll talk about this like civilised people".

"I've got a better idea", Cliff countered, "you put yours down first". The B Squad red and A Squad green ranger's stared at each other but neither made an attempt to lower their weapons, "Yeah just what I thought".

"Look we're here to help", Z drew tired of the male posturing on displaying, "we want this traitor found and so do you". She carefully moved her finger away from the trigger and placed the safety back on her blaster, "Can't we do this together?"

"Z what the hell are you doing?" Jack growled in her ear.

"Girl's got balls", Rachel snorted, "I can see why you like her Caz", Z noticed a small blush creeping into Charlie's cheeks and had to resist the urge to smile. "Who says we're going to arrest him", the A Squad pink ranger continued, "maybe we want him out the way permanently".

"Because that's not the right thing to do", Z pleaded, hoping to end this confrontation without a shot being fired, "a small part of you must see that, don't you have some honour left".

Z noticed some movement from her opposing yellow ranger and for a moment was worried that Ivan was going to fire his weapon. Instead he was stepping forward towards Z with a purpose, "Do not insult my honour", his voice rumbled off the containers, "I say we settle this old fashioned way".

B Squad's yellow ranger wasn't sure what he meant by that but A Squad seemed to be powering down their weapons. She briefly caught Charlie's eyes and saw the conflict hidden deep behind them. She was certain that a small apology flashed across her features before Charlie spoke, "This is how it's going to go down", the red A Squad ranger began, "the five of us versus the five of you, winner gets to bring in the traitor".

"That's stupid", Sky snapped, "what can possibly be gained by fighting us?"

"Freedom", Charlie shrugged, "if we win and bring in the traitor, SPD will have no choice but to exonerate us". She paused and slowly walked forward, "If you win, not only to do get to arrest the traitor but us as well".

"Not part of the deal Charlie", Cliff hissed.

"What's the matter, afraid to lose again?" Syd taunted the A Squad ranger.

Wondering what game Charlie was playing, Z cautiously moved towards the rest of her team. A Squad must have some trick up their sleeve she theorised because they were placing a lot of faith in their ability to defeat B Squad in battle, "One rule", Sky slowly lowered his blaster, "no weapons and no morphing".

Charlie thought about this for a moment before nodding slowly. She gently cracked her knuckles and looked over at Jack, "What do you say Jackie, or is it Elvis now?" the Omega Ranger grumbled under his breath, "fancy having a rematch-"

"No", Z cried, "you're mine". Charlie suppressed her surprised look and carefully eyed Z up, "I've got some issues I need to work out".

"Very well", Charlie shrugged, "it's your funeral". The two teams began to cautiously circle each other, eager to begin their rematch which had been building for several months. Little did they know that the traitor was watching their every move remotely.

 _ **A/N**_ _– Bonus Easter chapter! Has Z placed her trust in the right person? Can anyone be trusted in this confusing maze that I've created? I'd be interested to hear who you think is the ultimate villain of this piece._


	27. Running Free

_Chapter 27 – Running Free_

A weird sense of déjà vu washed over Charlie as the red A Squad ranger moved swiftly to block an incoming punch from Z. Barely 12 hours ago the pair had fought on a rooftop downtown, a scrap that nearly resulted in the yellow ranger plummeting to her death. Now history was repeating itself although the battle felt slightly different this time. Charlie was pretty certain that Z wasn't putting her full weight behind her attacks, contrary to the rest of B Squad who were going full tilt against the rest of A Squad.

Sensing the need for a brief exchange of words Charlie extended her right hand, hoping that Z caught onto her thought pattern. Fortunately the yellow ranger did exactly that and a split second after Charlie's gesture, she aimed a weak punch towards her outstretched palm. Charlie caught the fist and twisted Z's arm behind her back before wrapping her left arm around the yellow ranger's throat, "Either you've forgotten how to fight or you've got something to say to me", she whispered into Z's ear".

"I know about Sandstorm", Z mumbled back, "I know you're on our side".

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief, at least Z didn't think that she deliberately tried to kill her yesterday. There was a more immediate concern though, the pair looked like they were having a cuddle rather than actually attempting to battle each other, "Sell the choke hold", she hissed back, "we're meant to be fighting here". Z immediately thrashed around in an attempt to break free, "Ever think about a career as an actress", she added with a cheeky whisper.

"Dancer maybe", Z smirked, "I could give you a private show if you'd like". Charlie frowned slightly until Z continued, "I'm sorry for giving you that bruise yesterday". In her attempt to 'escape', Z gently touched Charlie's jaw line a couple of times. The SPD green ranger thought she was going to catch fire at the touch of the younger woman, "I meant it you know", Z added, "when I said that I loved you, although if you didn't feel the same any more I'd understand".

Filled with a sense of optimism that she hadn't experienced in a long time, Charlie manoeuvred Z out of direct sight of the battling ranger's and placed a gentle kiss against her neck. She heard the yellow ranger sigh in pleasure at the contact, bringing a smile to her face, "I hope that answers your question", she breathed into her ear. Charlie loosened her grip on Z's neck slightly, "Let's give these guys a show, just like our training battles in the gym".

"So you're staying with A Squad?" Charlie could hear the despair in Z's voice.

"They're not a hopeless case", Charlie sighed, "I'm not going to give up on them just like you didn't give up on me". Reluctantly she felt Z nod in agreement, "Right then Lizzy", she smiled, "show me what you've got".

She felt Z grin in response before she kicked her lightly in the leg. Charlie pushed her away forcefully and raised her guard. The two began a much different battle than they earlier and to the untrained eye, it looked like they were fighting each other forcefully. This though was actually a highly choreographed scrap, more like a dance routine than a bar room brawl. Charlie got the chance to break out some of her more acrobatic flips, something she had largely removed from her repertoire several years ago. As her first squad leader told her, A Squad was more about power than fancy flips. She might not be a flexible teenager any more but she wasn't over the hill by any stretch of the imagination.

One of their more dramatic spots called for Charlie to backflip away from one of Z's roundhouse kicks. The red A Squad ranger was half way through the flip when she realised how close to the shipping container she was. A split second later she face-planted against the side of box whilst still upside down from her flip. Charlie bounced ungracefully off the solid metal and crumpled to the floor. She let out a small groan as a stabbing pain began to radiate out from her neck. She briefly looked up and saw a confused Z looking down at her fallen body. The yellow ranger looked torn between genuine concern, fake anger and hysterical laughter.

A thought flashed through her head that this could blow the lid on their fake fight. Secondary to that was the hope that no one other than Z saw her intentionally flip into a shipping container. Moments later Z crouched over her, dropping a knee into her sternum, "SPD, you're under arrest", she cried and brandished her badge. Charlie allowed herself a half smile, her girl was getting really good at undercover acting, "Are you alright?" she added with a quiet whisper.

"I will be when you kiss it better", she replied with a saucy grin, "I think I bruised my ego more than my body".

"Well nothing was going to damage that hard head of yours", Z snorted. Charlie briefly wondered how to continue their fake fight when the container began to rumble. She then heard the familiar clicking of a lock releasing, "Did you do something?" Z whispered.

"Nothing to do with me", Charlie replied, "I don't even know what's in these crates". The metal hinge creaked and instinctively Z stood up to check what was coming out of the container. Charlie stumbled to her feet, stretched out her sore neck and pulled out her blaster, "I've seen too many movies, I know what usually lurks inside mystery containers", she added as she moved to off Z some back up.

Moving by themselves the doors to the container opened, followed very closely by the sound of pneumatics and heavy metal stomps. Charlie frowned the moment she spotted the source of the noise. The predominately blue body, white shoulder pads with flashing police style lights and white helmet had been something she had only seen in pictures, "The Blue Senturion?" she mumbled in confusion, "what's he doing here?"

"You mean the robot that helped out the Turbo Rangers nearly thirty years ago?" Z stated, "I thought he was scrap metal".

"So did I", Charlie replied in confusion. Built by Billy Cranston during his time with the Agency to act as a sixth ranger to the Turbo team he was often a hindrance, preferring to act more like a traffic officer than a Power Ranger. A small bit of reprogramming and a massive electric shock rebooted his programming. He had been caught up in a blast whilst inside the Turbo Rangers primary garage base which had put him out of commission and was never properly rebuilt, "Looks like someone put Humpty Dumpty back together again", she added.

Moments later a few more flashing lights pierced the gloom of the shipping container and more robotic pistons could be heard moving. Stepping out to join their robotic friend were four more Senturions, only they were coloured red, green, yellow and pink to match the SPD ranger colours, "I don't like this", Z muttered as she tightened her grip on her blaster.

"Now might be a good time to consider morphing", Charlie replied and slowly began reaching for her Delta morpher. The Blue Senturion though caught her movements and quick as lightning aimed his Synigizer in her direction. Realising that he would fire quicker than she could morph into the green ranger, Charlie concentrated on her other power source. A swirl of red later and she completed her morph into the red A Squad ranger.

It wasn't a moment too soon as the powerful blasts of the robot slammed into her armour. The A Squad model was build to withstand much more than the standard B Squad suits but the laser bolts were pushing the limits of its design, "Didn't your mother program you not to hit a lady", Charlie hissed through gritted teeth. Deciding the best form of defence was attack she called on her weapon and unleashed a volley of powerful blasts. To her shock the attacks bounced off the Blue Senturion, she might've been shooting cotton wool for all the good her weapon was doing.

Several rounds of yellow energy joined in with her attacks. Glancing over she spotted Z had morphed, going straight into SWAT mode. From personal experience she knew that B Squad's enhanced mode was probably slightly more powerful than her own powers. Even this though wasn't having much impact on the assembled Senturions who stood perfectly still. The two women ceased fire, nervously lowering their weapons, "Any suggestions oh mighty red ranger", Z asked sarcastically.

Charlie spotted all five Senturions raising their weapons, "Yeah, run", she cried. The pair ducked underneath a volley of laser fire which was powerful enough to shred a nearby metal container. Zig-zagging across the exposed ground to avoid falling into the Senturion's cross hares, Charlie first thought was for the rest of the Rangers. They probably hadn't morphed and would be completely exposed to any attack. Hearing some familiar battle cries, she pointed Z in the direction of a large crane by the pier.

Rounding the corner at speed Charlie spotted the remaining A and B Squad Rangers still engaged in their now largely pointless battle. Almost immediately Sky spotted the morphed Charlie and Z, "What the hell is this", he cried.

Knowing one of the Senturion's was close on their heels, Charlie grabbed Sky at speed and dragged him to the ground just as a laser bolt flew overhead. Z intercepted another blast by firing a round of her own, deflecting it into the crane, "Find cover, now", the yellow B Squad ranger cried.

None of the various members of A and B Squad needed to be told twice, scrambling behind some low stacked containers. A Squad managed to instantly morph and began firing on the looming Senturion's, "Quick morphing, neat treat", Z hissed through gritted teeth as she attempted to reply the Yellow Senturion.

"Linked to our brain pattern or something", Charlie shrugged, "think that's what Doctor Kat told me". She didn't have time to recall every technical discussion on her powers, the pressing concern was stopping five killer and seemingly invincible robots from blowing them away, "Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated", she cried out, not really caring which one responded.

By now the rest of B Squad had morphed and were adding to the hail of fire. The good news was that the concerted laser blasts seemed to be repelling the Senturions. These robots weren't mindless drones though, if they were programmed like the original Blue Senturion then they would be able to adapt quickly. They were also apparently programmed with the desire to survive as they began to take cover behind any undamaged container they could find, "These things your creations", Rachel aimed in the direction of B Squad.

"Could ask you the same thing", Jack countered, "typical A Squad sneak attack".

"All of you shut it", Sky shouted over the laser fire, "there's ten of us and five of them, we just need to concentrate our fire".

Bridge poked his head above the parapet and quickly surveyed the scene, "Take out the crane", he suggested, "bring that crashing down on top of them".

"Not a bad plan", Cliff shouted and aimed his fire at one of the main stanchions, "take out this one and the two either side, it should topple in seconds".

Impressed with the speed the two teams had come up with that plan, Charlie commenced firing at the indicated beam. Within a few seconds the concentrated blasts had sheared through the metal and the crane began to wobble and groan. It was only then that Charlie realised the weakness in their plan. The crane was the length of a football pitch and they were extremely close the Senturions, "Everyone fall back", she cried, "it's going to flatten us".

The crane toppled free and plummeted towards the ground. Instinctive Charlie grabbed Z's hand and pulled her to safety as the giant metal structure landed a mere handful of feet away from their position. Taking a few moments to gather her thoughts her attention quickly turned to Z who had barely moved. Grabbing her by the shoulders she gave her a firm shake, "Lizzy, speak to me", she shouted desperately.

An agonising few second passed until Z responded, "Good thing I'm not injured because your bed side manner sucks".

Charlie couldn't help but let out an uncharacteristic giggle and playfully slapped the yellow B Squad ranger on the shoulder. "Everyone else alright?" Syd's voice echoed through the twisted pile of scrap metal.

"Just about Princess", Rachel countered to her fellow pink ranger, "that seems like a really good idea at the time".

The sound of moving metal caught Charlie by surprise and she aimed her weapon at the noise. To her relief it was just Bridge scrambling through, "Not one of my best", he dismissed it like a bad move in a game of chess, "Oh hey Charlie, I've missed our weekly Call of Duty sessions".

"Really, that's the first thing you say to a wanted criminal", Jack snorted. In close attendance were Sky and Syd, "I swear you were dropped on your head as a child".

"Now that's something we can both agree on", Cliff added as he and the rest of A Squad scrambled into view. The ten rangers stood in an uncomfortable semi circle, wondering what the next move was, "What now, are you going to bring us in?"

The question was aimed towards Sky and Charlie watched as the red B Squad Ranger thought long and hard about his next course of action. His thought process was interrupted by Bridge though, "Shouldn't we check those killer robots have definitely been destroyed first? I mean I've seen Terminator 2, that T-1000 just kept coming back again and again".

Cliff snorted with derision, "Kid this isn't a mov-", suddenly a robotic hand burst out of the twisted debris and grabbed the green A Squad ranger by the arm. The head of the Pink Senturion shot upwards, it's eyes flashing a murderous shade of red. Beevor shot forward and pulled at the arm of the robot, literally ripping the offending limb away from its chassis.

Sky held his SWAT Blaster at point blank range to the Pink Senturion's head and pulled the trigger. The resulting blast shattered the robot's head and upper torso, rendering it scrap metal, "And stay down", he snorted.

A gentle rumble from the remains of the crane filled Charlie with dread. If the Pink Senturion survived then it was likely that the others had too, "I suggest getting as far away from here as possible", the red A Squad Ranger stated.

Some of the metal began to shift ominously, reinforcing her point, "Definitely seconded", Z replied and began to make a hasty retreat from the scene.

Without looking back Charlie sprinted away from the carnage. Now her thoughts were beginning to clear, she began to wonder if this whole thing had been an attempt to eliminate A Squad. If Z and the others weren't present, it was extremely likely that A Squad would've been overrun by the Senturions. She suspected a double cross from this mystery traitor but the fact they resorted to murder made her blood run cold. Her icy veins were warmed by a gentle squeeze of her hand by Z, "Looks like you didn't tell us the whole story of last night Caz", Rachel's teasing voice called over from behind.

There was a brief pause before Sky added, "Something you want to share with us Z?

"Is this really the time to be talking about our private life", Z snapped in response, "we're being hunted by five killer robots, maybe more".

Charlie had to smile, trust Z to put things in perspective. Returning to her original thought, the SPD traitor probably knew A Squad had evaded the Senturions. It was also likely they were aware that B Squad was present which now made them targets. She felt guilty for dragging Z into this mess but everything was going to unravel at some point, it just so happened to be now.

Halfway back to the main entrance were a number of unmarked black vans waiting to be used. Charlie heard Cliff calling out for her, "Hey boss, we should avoid using our vehicle. Our friend's probably got trackers on most of DiAngelo's cars".

"There's only one place you're coming, back to Delta Base", Sky interjected, "you should be grateful that it's not in a card this time".

Something told Charlie that the moment to reveal everything she knew. Somehow she had gotten involved in this complicated situation which left her wondering just who to trust. Right now the only people she could rely on were standing in front of her, "No", she began, "we can't go back".

"Wasn't a suggestion Matthews", Sky growled.

"You don't know the bigger picture", Charlie turned on the red B Squad ranger, "only Z really knows". She took a deep breath and addressed the group, "There's a traitor in SPD-".

"Yeah I'm looking right at her", Syd snorted.

Charlie rubbed her temples to calm her temper, "Can you let me finish Officer Barbie", she snapped, "there's a traitor in SPD, someone really high up and it was my job to help catch them". She looked over towards her team, "That's why I was released, Special Ops let me go because I was useful to them".

Silence fell over A Squad although Charlie could tell they weren't happy with being deceived. B Squad didn't look happy either, although Sky looked to be processing the information better than most, "Say I believe this", the red B Squad ranger began, "why should we trust you of all people?" Charlie chewed on her lip, he had a fair point, "I mean you hardly have the best track record".

"We've all been manipulated by the very top from day one", she countered, "all five of you", she pointed at B Squad, "by Cruger's own admission he wanted you as a team and kept a close eye on all of you growing up". She recalled Z telling her that a few months ago but it didn't really seem relevant until a few days ago.

"The questionable missions, the easy ride through the Academy", a look of realisation came over Rachel's face, "they wanted the five of us as a team too".

"Maybe not quite as badly, we can't phase through walls or duplicate ourselves", Charlie shrugged, "but like you said yesterday we're all outsiders in our own way".

"The fall guys for when things went wrong", the Green A Squad ranger sighed, "I still don't like being deceived Charlie but whatever you've got planned I'm with you".

That was the problem, Charlie didn't really have a plan. They needed to get somewhere safe and quickly, that was her priority, "Everyone get in the van", she pointed towards a nearby panel van, "first things first we need to get as far away from those things as possible". Another thought flashed across her mind, the DiAngelo compound was also now out of bounds. It wouldn't take too much for the traitor to send the Senturions in their direction.

A Squad quickly made their way towards the van and to Charlie's surprise, B Squad made no attempt to stop them. In fact one of their number decided to join them, "Z what are you doing?" Charlie asked, recalling her helmet so she could look directly at the yellow B Squad ranger.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight again", the yellow ranger replied firmly.

"Technically this is treason", Rachel commented, "you sure you want to come with us?"

Charlie watched in hope as Z looked towards the confused B Squad, who was desperately calling Z back towards them, before settling her gaze on Charlie. The yellow ranger recalled her own helmet and there was a big grin plastered on her face. She gave Charlie a quick peck on the lips before jumping into the back of the van, "Welcome to the Island of Misfit Toys Delgardo", Charlie heard Cliff joke as he jumped into the driver's seat. Charlie gave B Squad one last look before joining Z in the van. She slammed the door shut just as Cliff floored the gas and screeched out the docks.

 _ **A/N –**_ _Must give credit to my sounding board and fellow PR writer Super ShadowHenshin – Tyler Lee for the multi coloured Senturion idea. If you liked that idea I would recommend checking out some of his other stuff too. If you're confused by the back story of the Blue Senturion, I suggest reading (or rereading) Fuel which cover his alternate creation in the Hexagonverse._


	28. Home Sweet Home

_Chapter 28 – Home Sweet Home_

The monotonous hum of an engine gently greeted Z when she opened her eyes. Stretching out in front of her was the grey expanse of a freeway with no clear indication of her current location. She peered at the dash to check the time and was slightly surprised that she had been sleeping for several hours. The lack of sleep the previous night coupled with the various battle must've taken more out of her than she originally thought.

The yellow ranger stretched her back just as she heard a voice to her right, "Afternoon sleepy head", Charlie gently teased her, "Cliff told me to take over at the wheel, he couldn't stand your snoring apparently".

"I don't snore", Z replied defensively, drawing a small smirk from her partner. Warm feelings of their earlier kiss came flooding back along with their declaration of love for each other. Whatever Z's reservations were about leaving B Squad behind, they were slightly alleviated just knowing that Charlie was with her. Speaking of her team, the yellow ranger slid her personal cell phone out of her uniform pocket. Upon seeing the display she let out a low whistle, "Jesus Christ that's a lot of missed calls".

"Yeah I had to switch it to silent after a while", Charlie stated, "the ringing was disturbing Beevor's sleep". She leaned over as much as the seat beat would allow, "You don't want to see him cranky, trust me".

Z pushed aside her feelings of discomfort at having her phone swiped away in her sleep and began to check through the call logs, "Twelve from Sky, seventeen from Syd but just one from Jack", she said the last name with a small amount of disappointment. Her long time friend had only attempted to call her once, did that mean he was angry at Z for jumping into the van with Charlie? The current Omega Ranger wasn't Charlie's biggest fan, he had made that clear on a number of occasions, "None from Bridge", she frowned, "that's a little weird".

"Knowing Captain Crazy he's probably found a way to track your cell", Charlie shrugged. Z's head whipped over towards the red A Squad ranger quickly, "Don't worry, where we're going it won't matter if they can track us", the brunette added quickly.

"Where are we going?" Z asked, they had been on the road for several hours so they could be anywhere by now. Instead of responding verbally Charlie merely pointed at a sign on the freeway. Z peered carefully at the approaching metal sign, "Connecticut?" she gasped, "what the hell's in Connecticut?"

Before Charlie could answer further Z's cell began to vibrate in her hand. She took one look down and noticed that it was Syd calling, "Probably should answer that, reassure them that I'm not doing unspeakable things to you", Charlie stated with a small smile.

"Plenty of time for that", Z responded but immediately cringed at her words. Charlie though merely laughed at the yellow ranger's embarrassment, "I'm literally the worst flirt in the world", she grumbled under her breath. To stave off any further humiliating words Z quickly pushed the answer icon on her phone, "Hello", she answered brightly.

" _Z?"_ came Syd's slightly manic sounding voice through the handset, " _do you know how worried we've been"._

Guilt filled the yellow ranger, running off moments after battling a team of killer robots probably wasn't the best idea, especially as they didn't know the full story about Charlie, "I'm sorry Syd", those were the only words that came to mind.

" _Sorry, you're sorry",_ Syd shrieked so loudly that Z had to hold her phone away from her ear, _"You run off with a bunch of psycho's and all you have to say is sorry"._

"Well it is the hardest word to say", Charlie's chipped in with a sarcastic comment, drawing the ire of the yellow ranger.

" _Is that you Charlie?"_ Z gave up all pretence of a private conversation and switched the phone onto speaker, _"if I ever get my hands on you, I'll pound that smug little face of yours into mince meat"._

"Easy there Officer Barbie before all your toys come flying out the pram", Charlie snorted, "Lizzy is perfectly safe with me".

"Do you live to piss people off?" Z snorted, "like she's going to believe that".

"Aww is this our first fight", Charlie chuckled and half poked her tongue out her mouth. Z shot her an angry look, distinctly unimpressed with the green ranger's behaviour. Charlie had the good sense to look ashamed and switched to a more serious tone, "Look Sydney I'm sure Bridge or the good Doctor is tracking our every movement". There was silence from the other end which confirmed Charlie's theory, "Tell him to share that with as many people as possible if that makes you feel better".

" _This isn't over Charlie",_ Syd snorted in response, _"Z don't worry, we're coming to get you as soon as we can"._

"There's no rush", Charlie added but by now the phone line had gone dead. Z glared at her partner, maybe it was the tiredness but she wasn't in any mood to deal with sarcasm right now, "Well that went well", Charlie shrugged.

"She was only looking out for me", Z snapped, "if a suspected traitor took one of your team away to God knows where wouldn't you be a little concerned?"

Silence dominated the van, Charlie looked grimly out towards the road and offered no real clue to her true feelings. Z felt a little guilty for snapping at her partner but her point still stood, "I'm sorry", Charlie sighed.

"Good", Z mumbled, "I'm going back to sleep, wake me up when we get to wherever it is we're going". She rested her head against the beam of the van door and shut her eyes, determined to avoid any further conversation until she was in a better mood.

Sleep was difficult for Z and the yellow ranger wasn't really sure if actually got any. After ending her conversation with Charlie so abruptly the guilt began to bubble away underneath the surface. The green ranger was probably only messing around or at the very least, still playing her part as the dastardly traitor. She didn't really deserve to be on the receiving end of a tongue lashing, although reigning in the sarcasm ever now and then wouldn't hurt.

Even though her eyes were closed she felt the van slow down and eventually come to a halt. Someone began to gently nudge her shoulder in an attempt to wake her up. Initially Z thought it was Charlie and grasped the hand firmly before beginning to stroke it gently. The hand didn't feel right though, much larger than she expected. It was only when she opened her eyes that she realised it wasn't Charlie at all, "Hello to you too", Cliff grinned at her, "don't think the boss will appreciate you getting friendly with someone else".

Z let go of his hand like she had been electrocuted and her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. To make matters worse Charlie stuck her head into the cab seconds later, "Everything alright in here?" she asked.

"Your girl thought I was you", Cliff grinned, "not even part of the team yet and we already have an embarrassing story". The green A Squad ranger pointed at Charlie with a broad grin, "You keep her around yeah", he continued, "remember what we spoke about".

He jumped out of the driver's seat, apparently Cliff and Charlie had swapped over at some point and allowed his team leader to take over behind the wheel, "Sorry about that", Charlie mumbled under her breath.

"Don't worry", Z frowned, slowly gaining control of the redness in her cheeks. The yellow ranger was intrigued by whatever Charlie and Cliff had spoken about, however, she had a more pressing question, "Where are we?"

Immediately in front of the van was an imposing metal gate not too dissimilar from the one at the DiAngelo compound. This one was different though, it was substantially bigger and attached to an equally imposing wall of razor wire topped steel. Z's first thought was they had arrived at a military base or possibly a prison. When Charlie answered her question, she wasn't prepared for the response, "This is my place", the red A Squad ranger stated, "well my parent's place". She let out a deep sigh, "You're about to see where I grew up".

Z spotted the weary and anxious expression on Charlie's face, the yellow ranger would be too if she had grown up in a place like this. Admittedly she couldn't see the house on the other side of the gate but being hemmed in by a ring of steel couldn't have done the young Charlie much good. "I can sense your inquisitive brain whirring away Lizzy", Charlie added, "we'll have plenty of time for Q and A on the drive to the house".

Reaching into her jacket pocket Charlie found a small plastic card and leaned out the driver's window. Pressing it against a small box sticking out the ground revealed a keypad behind a hidden screen, "Let's see if they've changed the code", the brunette mumbled. Watching Charlie push a sequence of button's, Z held her breath. If Charlie got this wrong she didn't want to think about the consequences. Fortunately the gate buzzed and slowly began to retract, "Not sure if that's a good or bad thing", Charlie sighed.

"Your parent's probably didn't change it in case you wanted to return", Z stated optimistically. She knew Charlie didn't have a great relationship with her family, it had come up in conversation a couple of times.

"More like arrogance", Charlie sniffed, "probably think they're perfectly safe behind their iron curtain", she added bitterly.

"The security does seem excessive", Z commented.

"A symbol of status", Charlie replied, "the more imposing the security system, the wealthy you are, that's the theory at least". The van began to roll slowly up a sloping gravel path. Z still couldn't see the house yet, just a patch of well kept grass with stretched all the way around, "Back during the alien immigration crisis of the 2010's, the elite essentially shut themselves off from the rest of the world", Charlie continued, "they claimed it was for protection".

Z frowned slightly, "And you don't believe that?"

"To begin with it might have been", the green ranger sighed, "but then the economy started to wobble. Everyone started to retreat, especially when Europe splintered apart once again when various countries pulled out the EU. The rich and powerful chose to build a proverbial and literally wall to stop anyone taking what they felt was rightfully theirs".

The yellow sat in silence and listened to Charlie's geo-political lecture. She hadn't registered too much of this when she was younger. Having limited access to regular news kept her isolated, her world ended at the city limits of Newtech for many years. "Sounds a little selfish if you ask me", Z sniffed, "why wouldn't you want to give to those less fortunate if you have so much yourself".

A broad grin suddenly flashed across Charlie's face, "That's exactly why I like you Lizzy, you're a woman tuned perfectly into my wavelength". The van stopped climbing and crested the artificial hill allow Z her first glimpse at the Matthews family home. To say the place was massive would be an understatement, it would be more accurate to call it a palace, "Yeah it's certainly something", Charlie sighed.

Z closed her mouth, she realised she had been gaping at Charlie's childhood home. Finally the mystery behind Charlie's bitter attitude towards her parent's became a little easier to solve. The green ranger had spoken many times about the excessive wealth her family held. Z couldn't imagine that Charlie had left this compound very often so her desire to help others must've come from a pivotal moment in her past. Maybe being in this house again would allow the yellow ranger to final complete the puzzle of Charlie Matthews.

The earth bank formed a natural bowl around the house, making it look like it was sitting inside a trench. The wide grassy plains on the other side of the dip gave an uninterrupted sight line against any potential invaders. To Z it looked like the Matthews had designed their estate better than some military installations. Outside of the White House, this was probably the best protected property in the United States she mused to herself.

It was probably for this reason alone that Charlie chose to come here. There was no real love between daughter and parents but even they wouldn't turn her away, if only to protect their legacy. The Senturions would struggle to breach the defence wall unless they were packing more firepower than they displayed during the last fight.

Charlie pulled the car up near the front door and slowly turned the engine off. Z watched as her girlfriend, maybe a little presumptive to use that name but partner sounded wrong in her head, gripped the steering wheel tightly and took a couple of deep breath. The yellow ranger reached over and gentle grasped her arm, "You're not doing this alone", she whispered. Charlie didn't reply but Z could feel her muscles relaxing.

A few seconds past before Charlie's familiar mask of leadership fell into place. She banged on the wall of van and shouted, "End of line, everyone out".

Z opened the door and stepped onto the driveway with a crunch. The house looked even bigger and more imposing close up. A few curiously looking staff members were emerging from the property, clearly bemused by the presence of the youngest member of the family and five total strangers. "Wow I knew your family were loaded Caz but this is something else", Rachel gasped at the back of the group.

"Proper heir to the throne I am", Charlie snorted, drawing a few laughs from the group. Out the corner of her eye, Z could see a couple of older people stepping out the house. It didn't take much for the yellow ranger to deduce that these were Charlie's parents. "Listen up", the red A Squad ranger whispered, "we're a team, trust no one and I mean no one outside this huddle".

"Even her", Ivan pointed towards the other yellow ranger.

"I do have a name you know", Z snorted.

"Especially her", Charlie quickly interrupted the brewing argument, "I trust all five of you with my life and I expect you to do the same to each other".

A heavy feeling threatened to crush Z, that was a lot of responsibly to place on anyone's shoulders. She knew the words were mostly directed towards her, Z might not be the biggest fan of A Squad but she trusted Charlie's judgement, "You think it's that serious?" the normally light hearted Cliff asked grimly.

"I do", Charlie nodded, "I don't know how high this goes, we could be looking at another Hexagon if we're not carefully". Whatever that meant it clearly got the attention of A Squad, Z had never seen them look so stoic before. The yellow ranger wanted this over with as quickly as possible before someone really got hurt.


	29. I Want To Know What Love Is

_Chapter 29 – I Want To Know What Love Is_

Returning home had been difficult for Charlie. She had never been a fan of the family estate, the big house felt cold and uninviting. The grounds it sat on were even worst with its featureless grassy plains and imposing high walls. The whole place felt like the world's most expensive prison rather than somewhere to raise a child. All of that didn't take into account her parents, she had enough issues with them to fill up several notepads.

Charlie didn't always remember the Matthews Estate feeling this way. During her early childhood the place had been open and inviting. Other local families and their children would come to visit and the most lavish parties were thrown by her parents. They had still been a little cold but nothing compared to what they were now. Something had changed when Charlie was eight, sometime during the Fall of 2006. The estate had been closed off and turned into the expensive fortress it was today. Charlie very rarely left the property, other than to travel to and from her expensive boarding school every semester. No wonder she left home at the first available opportunity.

Even now as she wondered the halls nothing seemed to have changed. She could've travelled ten years into the past and she barely would've noticed the difference. Even the staff were the same, except they were all a little older. Most gave Charlie a courteous nod that befitted her status as heiress to the estate, which only added to her bad mood. Other though were a little more welcoming, "Mistress Charlotte", a warm voice greeted her.

The green ranger immediately recognised the voice as belonging to Jefferson Wilkins, the head of staff for the entire house. The man must've been approaching seventy and he certainly had a few more white hairs than ten years ago but to Charlie, he was still the energetic man from her childhood. "What's up Jeff", Charlie beamed and pulled the man into a tight hug, "and what did I tell you about this Mistress crap?"

"That if I called you Mistress Charlotte again you would burn every single pair of pants I owned", Jefferson smiled in return, "and yet I still remain fully clothed nearly fifteen years later".

"It's never been fifteen years", Charlie began, "you trying to make me feel old Jeff". The pair slowly wandered through the entrance hall, passing by a marble statue, "That mark's still on the pedestal from when I crashed my bike", the green ranger continued, "probably shouldn't have been riding it through the house but it really used to piss my Mom off".

Jefferson flashed a small smirk, "Why do you think I haven't removed it?"

The friendly relationship between Charlie and the head of staff had been the source of much tension between the brunette and her parents over the years. Charlie probably viewed him as a father figure more than she did her Dad. He was often the one to help her with homework and be responsible for her general well being. She couldn't recall her Mom reading her a bed time story or playing catch with her Dad but Jefferson did.

When she came out at fifteen Jefferson was the person she told and that secret stayed between them until not long after Charlie's eighteenth birthday. A vicious argument had broken out between Charlie and her parents which led to the green ranger letting slip about her sexuality. She wasn't expecting that piece of news to get a warm reception but she wasn't anticipating the torrent of vitriol that spewed out her mother's mouth. All whilst her Dad stood back and said nothing, it had broken Charlie's heart.

Jefferson had stepped in and Charlie heard him raise his voice for the first time. Unsurprisingly her Mom threatened to fire the man along with suing the man for breaching his contract and causing emotional stress. Charlie could take abuse aimed in her direction but Jefferson had shown her kindness the likes of which her family never did. Standing up for her friend she slapped her Mom hard across the face. It didn't stop there either, she remembered delivering at least two or three more blows, enough to drop the older woman to the ground. Later that night she signed up for SPD, packed her bags and left home, cutting off all contact with her family for nearly two years. They were speaking again but things would never be the same again.

When Charlie arrived at the house she wasn't expecting to see Jefferson. Her family hadn't spoken about him during their fleeting conversations which led her to believe they had followed through with their threat and fired him. To see him still in employment was a pleasant surprise, "You weren't fired then?" she asked quietly.

The older man shook his head, "You must've knocked some sense into your mother", he snorted.

"That vindictive witch", Charlie shook her head, "would've thought my departure made things worse".

"It wasn't easy", Jefferson began, "but they were too distraught to think of anything other than your safety".

"Picked a fine time to start caring", Charlie said bitterly. Not wanting to dwell on the past she switched the conversation, "Where are the others staying, the guest house?"

Jefferson frowned at the abrupt subject change but let it go for the moment, "You're parents have allowed them to stay on the second floor". That news did surprise Charlie, those rooms were rarely used even when visitors were common, "Clifford and Beevor are sharing the room in the north corridor whilst Ivan and Rachel are staying in the east annex".

Charlie grumbled internally, the house had nearly a hundred rooms but her team still had to share. The green ranger realised that Jefferson had missed someone, "Where's Lizzy staying?" she asked.

A mischievous glint flashed in Jefferson's eyes, "She said she would find her own place to sleep". Charlie nodded mutely, her parents could probably sniff out her low class upbringing a mile off and force her to sleep in the van or something. She was about to leave when Jefferson added, "Don't be too hard on your parents Charlie, they're different people now". The brunette blinked a couple of times before turning and walking away. She wanted to believe Jefferson but she had been burned too many times over the years.

Climbing the main staircase and entering the west wing of the property, Charlie quickly found her old bedroom. The room had been her personal sanctuary during her visits from school but it still felt alien at times. It was sad that she looked on her dormitory at school with fonder memories than her own bed.

Pushing the door open Charlie was surprised that the room looked virtually untouched since the day she left. The loose clothes she had thrown on the floor in her haste to pack had been tidied up but everything else was still in its original place. Gazing around the room with the eye of an investigator, she thought the place looked too clean. There was barely any dust which surely should've accumulated over the last ten years. An outdated laptop still sat on a desk, a leather chair was still turned at the perfect angle to look out into the gardens and her martial arts trophies still had pride of place on the shelf next to her bed.

There was one small different to her room though, her closet was open and there was someone rummaging inside. Instinctively her hand went for her weapon which was slightly ridiculous, the house was more secure than Delta Base. Moments later the uninvited guest made their presence know, "Charlie", Z spluttered, "you scared the crap outta me".

"I scared you", Charlie exclaimed, "I could've blown your head off", she tapped the weapon on her hip, "you do know this is my room, right?"

An innocent smile flashed across Z's face, "Why do you think I chose it". The yellow ranger waived a couple of items around that were in her hands, "Flannel shirts and Doc Martens", she snorted, "you are a pair of dungarees away from being a walking stereotype Charlie".

It took a flabbergastered Charlie a moment to formulate a response, partly through shock that Z was going brazenly rummaging through her stuff and partly because she was actually in her room, "I was young and didn't know much better".

"Clearly", Z dropped the clothing onto the floor and stepped on to her tip toes to reach the upper shelf, "because that would explain what I found up here". The yellow ranger pulled down a plain shoe box and Charlie immediately blushed, she knew exactly was what inside."To Charlotte my biggest fan", Z broke out into a loud snigger, much to the consternation of the green ranger, "sorry but this next part is terrible".

"Just get this over with", Charlie snapped, folding her arms across her chest.

"Ooh did I hit a sore spot", Z laughed before turning back to the photo in her hand, "don't stop Beliebing", she couldn't contain her laughter anymore, breaking down into hysterical laughter. It took her a couple of moments to regain her composure, "Never would've pegged you for the Justin Bieber fan".

"Like I said, young and stupid", Charlie grumbled, "Not many twelve year olds get the hottest star of the time to perform at their birthday party", she added defensively. "He wasn't that bad although the llama allegations in 2020 kinda put pay to his comeback".

Z broke out into a broad grin, "Charlie's a Bieliber", she taunted the green ranger.

Charlie huffed and stomped over to Z "Put that down right now". The yellow ranger stuck her tongue out and held the box high above her head, backing slowly into the closet door. Instinctively Charlie reached for the box, leaning heavily into Z. The mischievous grin from the yellow ranger suggested this was her plan all along, "Hello there", the green ranger smiled, gently caressing Z's cheek, "If you wanted to get close to me, all you had to do was ask".

"Yeah but where's the fun in that", Z teased the green ranger with a kiss but backed away at the last second, "tell me the truth, I can't be the first girl you've had in this room". Flinching slightly, Charlie slowly backed away from Z, "Sorry, I didn't to imply that you were a whore or something", the yellow ranger added apologetically.

"I wasn't thinking that but that's for pointing that out", Charlie tried to keep the humour in her voice but even she knew that was difficult. She sat down on the edge of her bed, reaching for a stuffed pink elephant. The toy had been her favourite ever since Jefferson gave it to her on her seventh birthday. It was strange to think that for all the expensive things she owned growing up, a factory produced toy brought for a few dollars was her favourite play thing, "I didn't have a great childhood Z", she continued, "sometimes I wonder if you had it better".

She watched as a frown crossed Z's face, "I think you're forgetting that spent most of the time running away from the Police, sleeping in cardboard boxes and struggling to stay alive", Z stated tightly.

"That's not what I meant", Charlie began, "I had all this but I never really had a friend". Z's eyes softened slightly at this admission, "You got to spent you childhood with your best friend", she sniffed back a couple of tears, "I would trade everything in this room to know what that's like".

Charlie gave the elephant a tight squeeze, fearing that she sounded like an ungrateful bitch. Here she was sitting in her giant house surrounded by expensive things complaining about her miserable childhood to someone who didn't even have a home. She was worried that she had pushed Z away but to her surprise, the yellow ranger took a seat next to her, "You do have a best friend", the younger woman smiled, "and you have a whole group of friends down the hall".

"Team mates, that's all", Charlie snorted, thinking about A Squad.

"I've seen the way you all interact, trust me they're your friends", the yellow ranger replied. Charlie numbly nodded her head and gave a watery smile in return. Her upbringing had been lonely but she hadn't come out of it too badly. Sure she had made some mistakes along the way but Z was right, she had four good friends in A Squad. Perhaps once this mess was sorted out she could count on B Squad as her friends too.

Putting down the stuffed elephant, Charlie closed the gap between herself and Z. Leaning towards the yellow ranger, she waited for any sign that Z was going to pull back. When she didn't, Charlie placed a gentle kiss on the younger woman's lips. It was soft and Charlie could taste the sugary remains of the energy drink Z had consumed earlier. Charlie kissed her again this time a little more urgently, running her hands through the yellow ranger's hair at the same time, "You don't have to be gentle", Z gasped between kisses, "I'm not some fragile china doll".

Taking that as a positive sign, Charlie increased the intensity. Her tongue found a sensitive spot in the roof of Z's mouth. She could help but grin as the younger woman moaned with pleasure, "Remember, you asked for this", she smiled. Placing one hand on Z's face she carefully placed a few playful nibbles on her lower lip. At the same time her hand began to explore underneath Z's yellow top. Charlie loved the feeling of bare skin, there was no better sensation in the world.

To her surprise Z aggressively pushed Charlie back onto the bed. She briefly fretted that she had taken things too far but that certainly wasn't the case as Z straddled her waist. Charlie bit her lip to prevent a moan from escaping her lips as the yellow ranger applied a little bit of pressure with her thighs. The younger woman then began to playful tug at the bottom of her t shirt, allowing more of her toned stomach to show, "Now who's being the tease", Charlie grinned.

"Just building up the anticipation", Z replied and slowly pulled her top off, leaving her in just her black sports bra, "not the sexist underwear I know", she shrugged.

"I'd think you were sexy in a trash bag", Charlie gasped as Z began to fiddle with the button on her jeans. Her eyes quickly flicked towards the door, making sure that she had closed it behind her, "My parents could walk past at any moment", she added.

"That just makes it naughtier", Z grinned, pulled down the zip on Charlie's jeans. The green ranger decided to disengage her brain, this was the moment she had been dreaming about for the last few months. She pulled Z down, shrugged her jeans off in one skilful motion. With a lustful grin she pulled the sheet over their heads, they had a long evening ahead of them.

 _ **A/N –**_ _I'm back, sorry it took so long I've been focusing on other stories. Hope some implied Charlie and Z sexy time makes up for the long wait. The chapter's named after the Foreigner song of the same name and for added cheese, listen to that song as you read the last third of the chapter._


	30. Eavesdropping

_Chapter 30 – Eavesdropping_

It was after midnight at the Matthews Estate and everything was quiet, especially in the bedroom of the sole child of the family. Z was in bed dozing, still basking in the afterglow of the most intense love making session she had ever experienced. True, her previous experiences had involved individuals who only cared about their own happy ending. Things with Charlie had been different, despite her tough exterior she was easily the most caring and gentle lover Z ever had. She could be rough though when the situation called for it, the yellow ranger would definitely be sore for a few days.

The best part of the night though was right now with Charlie snuggled tightly next to her. She hadn't pegged the green ranger for a post-sex cuddler but she was happy to be proved wrong. Charlie's arm was draped protectively over her chest and Z loved the feeling of the dark haired woman's warm body on her skin. Z gently leaned over and nuzzled a kiss into her temple and Charlie whimpered slightly but she didn't wake up. Since the room was dark, she had to imagine the peaceful look that was surely on Charlie's face.

The warm moment was ruined though by a loud rumbling from her stomach. The couple had been so busy getting familiar with each other that they completely forgot about dinner. It was only now that Z realised she hadn't eaten since breakfast this morning. So much had happened since then that getting something to eat had slipped down her list of priorities.

As much as it pained her, she carefully extracted herself from Charlie's grip. Even in sleep the green ranger was deceptively strong and it took Z a couple of attempts to fully untangle herself. The next challenge would be finding something appropriate to wear down to the kitchen. Grabbing her cell phone she activated the light and quickly scanned the room. She quickly found her panties, which was a relief, and her yellow uniform top but everything else was eluding her. Z couldn't even remember where her pants ended up after Charlie ripped them off in the excitement. She was tempted to grab Charlie's jeans but that would just look too suspicious. In the end she pulled on her top and prayed that everyone else was asleep.

Z quietly opened the door and almost instantly tripped over something. Cursing her luck she turned her phone downwards to find a large plastic bag sitting in the hallway. A quick examination told Z that it was full of clothes and they appeared to be in her size too. She spotted a hand written note next to the bag which she read by the light of her phone.

 _Dear Elizabeth_

 _I have taken the liberty of finding some casual clothes for you and the rest of Mistress Charlotte's team to wear. I gave the others their bag at dinner, however, since you didn't make downstairs, I have placed them here for you._

 _Best Wishes, Jefferson_

 _PS. There are some leftovers in the fridge for you and Mistress Charlotte_

Z smiled at the lifeline thrown to her by the Head of Staff and quickly rummaged in the bag. To her overwhelming joy there was a long t-shirt, in yellow naturally, that could pass as a night shirt. Nipping quickly back into Charlie's room she discarded her top and replaced it with the shirt from the bag, it came down to mid thigh which more than covered her modesty. As she made her way downstairs it suddenly dawned on her that Jefferson knew exactly where she had spent the night which made it extremely likely that A Squad did too. She groaned under her breath, she wasn't looking forward to facing them tomorrow.

Her hunger overwhelmed her embarrassment quickly and soon she was traversing the main staircase. She had a vague idea where the kitchen was from her earlier exploration but it was hard to tell in the dark. Moving down one hall Z was surprised to see a light coming from one of the rooms. She slowed her pace not wishing to be seen by anyone, least of all Charlie's parents.

As she got closer to the light she cursed herself once again, there were voices coming from the room. Worst of all they belonged to Mr and Mrs Matthews. They were raised voices, the couple were in the middle of an argument. From what Charlie had mentioned about her parent's marriage this didn't come as a great surprise. What was a surprise was the content of the conversation, "Richard we can't have them in the house, what if Avi finds out?" Susanna Matthews stated.

Z frowned, who the hell was Avi? "What could we do, turn them away", Richard spat back, "Charlotte barely trusts us as it is".

"This isn't just about her", Susanna cried, "if they find out what we did we'll get thrown in prison".

Now Z was really intrigued and on instinct she found the recorder function on her phone and quickly began to record the conversation. Z knew that the file would be inadmissible in court, it was obtained without permission but it would give the team something to work with. Assuming the Matthews were guilty of a crime that is, "Well we all know who's fault that is", Richard snapped bitterly. There was the sound of clinking glasses which Z took to be the man pouring a drink, "I told you that taking that research grant was a big mistake", he added.

"Oh yes, God forbid that the trophy wife actually has a career of her own", Susanna hissed, "the Indigo Project could've been a massive success, instead that stinking feline had to mess everything up".

"Feline", Z whispered just as the conversation stopped. For a moment she feared she had been caught but when there was no sign of movement in her direction, she breathed a sigh of relief. The feline Susanna Matthews refer to must be Doctor Manx, unless an actual cat has somehow interfered in whatever the Indigo Project was.

"Always someone else's fault isn't it Susanna, never taking responsibility for your actions", Richard began, "well guess what, the spawn of Indigo is under our roof. Maybe that'll force you to take a good, hard look at your choices".

"At least I didn't sell myself out to Philip Spader", Susanna fired back, "that crooked politician has owned our very souls for twenty years".

"I was clearing up your mistakes", Richard roared, followed by the sound of smashing glass, "I can't wait for all this to come out and then I'll watch you look that poor girl in the eyes as you tell her the truth".

Z's heart skipped a beat, who could Richard Matthews be talking about? There were only three other women in the house and something told her that this conversation hadn't been about Rachel. The yellow ranger heard movement in the room and quickly shut off the recording. Moving with the speed of a thief, she scampered down the hall and ran up the stairs as fast and as quietly as she could.

Her heart was still hammering when she reached Charlie's room and not just from the quick movement. The argument had spooked her out and something told her that sharing this information couldn't wait until morning. Turning on a small lamp on Charlie's desk to give some light, Z began to gently shake the green ranger, "Charlie, wake up".

It took a few more attempts before Charlie groaned into life, "Damn Lizzy you can't be ready for the next round already", she drawled with a cocky grin, "I'm know I'm good-".

"Put your libido on ice lover girl", Z replied, "there's something you'll want to hear".

Z didn't wait for Charlie to protest and began to play the audio file from her phone. She watched curiously at the blank expression on the green ranger's face as she listened to her parent's arguing. Something told her that this wasn't a new experience for her which made Z want to throw her arms around her girlfriend.

When the recording ended, Charlie sat passively for a couple of moments absorbing the information. She was as still as a statue which really worried Z, "Well, what do you think?"

"I don't know", Charlie sighed, "seems like we have a new player on the board".

"You've never heard your parents mention this Avi character before?" the yellow ranger asked.

Charlie shook her head, "Never, not even in passing but then tended to avoid talking business around me". The green ranger ran her hand through her dark hair a couple of times and Z could tell that this was seriously bothering her partner. She tried to hide it well but the yellow ranger knew her well enough by now to tell when she was worried. Playing with her hair was usually reserved for serious problem, "Real thing that concerns me was the mention of Spader", Z looked blankly at Charlie which the green ranger instantly picked up on, "tell me you've heard of Philip Spader?"

"Course I have, might not have had a proper education but even I followed the news", Z snapped.

"I'm sorry", Charlie sighed, "but Spader is seriously bad news. If you believe the news he was involved in some really dodgy shit".

"And you believe the news?" Z asked.

"In this case I do", Charlie shook her head, "but I think they seriously undersold his crimes. I reckon there are plenty of skeletons still waiting to tumble out his closet". She punched the pillow in frustration, "And my dumbshit parent's got involved with him, the stupid motherfu-".

"Hey that's enough", Z sat on the bed next to Charlie. The green ranger problem deserved a good rant against her parents and normally she would let it slide. Tonight thought she needed skilled investigator Charlie, not bitter and angry Charlie, "Whatever happened we can fix it", she smiled and placed a gentle kiss to her lips, "I promise".

Charlie couldn't help but smile although it didn't quite reach her eyes, "Appreciate the efforts Lizzy but that's a pretty bold promise to make".

"Some say I'm a pretty bold person", Z shrugged, "I did seduce you in your own room after all", she added with a saucy grin.

"That you certainly did", Charlie responded with a firm, urgent kiss. She allowed her forehead to rest against Z's for a moment and the yellow ranger could feel Charlie's anger ebbing away, "Thanks for that, didn't mean to blow up at you".

"No apology needed", Z slowly pulled back, "at the risk of dragging that anger up again, have you ever heard of the Indigo Project?"

The green ranger shook her head, "No never, didn't even know my Mom had a career outside of socialising and being a giant pain in my ass".

That comment drew a small snort of laughter from Z which lightened the room. Charlie was definitely feeling rocky, all caused by a brief argument. Even though it was late Z knew that sleep would be impossible for both of them. Perhaps their time could be used more productively, "I hate to say this but get dressed", Z stood up quickly, "and gather the rest of the team together".

"Why, what are we going to do?" Charlie asked hesitantly, "We can't arrest them based on that, any lawyer worth a dollar would get them off in a heartbeat".

"That's why we're going to do some research and make a proper plan", Z replied, tossing Charlie discarded top over to her.

"Hang on, don't you think this Avi person would have this place under some kind of surveillance", Charlie protested as she pulled on her top, "we can't just go Googling some top secret project, it's bound to throw up some red flags somewhere". Z paused, she hadn't thought about that, "Don't forget we're wanted fugitives, all our access to SPD databases has been revoked".

"And if I log on, it'll flag up my location", Z added, feeling a little deflated. She pondered that problem for a few moments until she had a brainwave, "What we need is someone on the inside?" she snapped her fingers.

Charlie though wasn't quite as enthused, "What at 1am, everyone will be safely in bed".

"Not everyone", Charlie replied with a mischievous grin, "it is Tuesday night after all".

"Technically Wednesday morning", Z grumbled, her girlfriend was being exceptionally slow at catching onto her train of thought tonight. The sudden wide eyed expression though told Z that the penny had finally dropped, "Oh yeah, it's Tuesday night", she beamed.

"Exactly, grab your laptop, some pants and that data stick which you totally hide in your pocket", Z smiled. If her hunch was correct then all of this would be over by this time tomorrow. The SPD traitor would be caught and she and Charlie could get to behave like a normal couple. She had to hope that her SPD source was as predictable as always.

 _ **A/N –**_ _Weird to think that the last five or six chapters have only spanned a day. This is turning into an episode of 24._

 _Next time Z and A Squad plot and scheme their next move._


	31. World of Warcraft

_Chapter 31 – World of Warcraft_

Ten minutes later a fully dressed Charlie and Z attempted to rouse the rest of A Squad from their beds. Unsurprisingly they were greeted with a mixture of groans, grumbles and threats of bodily harm, however, all four squad members lumbered out of bed and into an unused reception room on the first floor. Z pulled an empty dresser into the middle of the room, allowing Charlie to drop the laptop on to the bare surface, "You two better have a damn good reason for waking me up", Rachel hissed, rubbing her bleary eyes.

"Trust me you'll want to hear this", Z replied and placed her phone next to the laptop, "this is a recording of Charlie's parents that I made barely half an hour ago".

Before she could load up the files, there was a load sniff from over her left shoulder. Charlie blushed slightly as Beevor repeated the gesture, "You alright there big guy?" Z asked in confusion. Unfortunately Charlie knew exactly what was wrong with the blue A Squad ranger. His people had an extremely strong sense of smell, particularly when it came to pheromones. Her worst and most embarrassing fear came true seconds later when he gave the air around Charlie a sniff, "Seriously do you need a tissue?" Z frowned.

Charlie placed her head into her hands, something that was immediately picked up on by Cliff. A knowing look passed between the green rangers and Charlie gently shook her head. That only spurred the A Squad green ranger on though, "Well that didn't take you long", Cliff sniggered, "also means that I win the betting pool", he added, drawing a loud groan from Ivan and Rachel.

"You bet on us?" Charlie snapped angrily.

"Course we did", Cliff replied with a smug grin, "what kind of team mates would we be if we didn't have a small wager on SPD's newest couple".

Clearly confused by the conversation, Z carefully raised her hand, "Do I want to know what you're talking about".

Sadly for Charlie, the pink A Squad ranger answered first, "Beevor here has an extremely strong sense of smell", Rachel began, "his nose is especially sensitive to, how shall I put this", Charlie glared angrily at the pink ranger, she was enjoy watching her squirm a little too much, "sexual odors", he added with a small grin.

A look of realisation passed over Z's face as the missing piece to the conversation fell into place, "And since you two had sexy time on the first night, I've won myself thirty bucks", Cliff replied and held his hand up, "come on girl, up top".

Charlie was absolutely mortified, it had taken her several months to work up the courage to confess her feelings and her team seemed to be destroying everything within just a few seconds. She watched Z's unreadable expression for a few seconds and wondered what was going on behind those dark eyes. All manner of negative thoughts crossed her mind but as it turned out, she needn't have worried. The yellow ranger shrugged, broke into a broad grin and gleefully slapped Cliff's open palm, "You're not angry", Charlie asked over the quiet cheering from the group.

"How could I be angry?" she leaned over Cliff's back and looked Charlie straight in the eye, "when I've just spent the last few hours nailing the hottest girl in the state". She grasped the side of Charlie's face and pulled her in for a searing kiss, drawing a round of cat calls from A Squad.

"Alright you can suck face later", Rachel grumbled, "I'm sure you didn't wake us up at 1am to discuss your sex life". Charlie pulled away from Z and smirked at the pink ranger, "Well maybe you would but I'm guessing this is a serious conversation".

It was hard for Charlie to slip back into 'leader mode', especially as Z's kiss still lingered on her lips. To allow herself a few extra minutes to recover she played the recordings on her girlfriends cell phone. As the recording ended she surveyed the angry expressions on her teams faces. There was also a huge amount of concern at the mention of Spader, "Jesus Christ", Cliff whistled and slumped back into his chair, "you don't think Spader is behind this?"

"No", Charlie replied firmly, "at least not directly".

"He paid for his crimes", Ivan added bluntly, "doesn't mean he's not puppet master".

"I agree", Rachel frowned, "most likely he kicked all this off and someone else is continuing his legacy". She leaned in closer, "Question is; Who the hell is this Avi person and what link do they have to SPD?"

Z opened the laptop and booted it up, "That's what I'm going to find out", she held out her hand, "flash drive please". Charlie looked at the small piece of plastic and computer chips, this stick contained one secret she hoped wouldn't get out. She had been so careful not to let slip to anyone, that was until Z came into their room one day and caught her in the act, "Don't be shy, it's good to get these things out in the open".

"This your way of telling us you did porn Charlie?" Cliff leered, "cause I'm will to take one for the team and watch whatever's on there".

"Piss off Cliff that's my girlfriend you're talking about", Z slapped him on the arm, "and it's not porn on there".

"Probably be less embarrassing", Charlie mumbled and reluctantly handed the drive over to Z.

The yellow ranger inserted the stick into the USB into the slot and waited patiently for the old laptop to load the program. Suddenly the screen went black before a game logo appeared, accompanied by loud music and bright flashes, "Brawl of Empires?" Rachel and the others slowly turned their heads towards Charlie, "you play Brawl of Empires", she added with a snigger of laughter.

"Laugh it up you lot", Charlie snorted, "I only played this to improve my battle strategy". She folded her arms and observed the disbelieving looks from the team, "that's all, purely for educational purposes", she added defensively.

"Sure Charlie", Rachel stated absently whilst looking at Charlie's onscreen avatar, "and I suppose the big boobs and tight armour are education too".

Cliff edged himself closer to the screen and took over control of the mousepad from Z, "Reckon we'd see your avatar better if we remove this helmet", she stated and moved the cursor.

"Don't touch my helm of invulnerability", Charlie snapped, "I quested for hours to get the plus twenty defence it gives me". She stopped suddenly and cursed internally, she had given herself up, "Shit", she hissed.

"Don't worry sweetie, we're not judging you", Rachel placed a patronising hand on Charlie's knee, a gesture which said everyone was totally judging her. "As amusing as this has been", the pink ranger continued, "what's the purpose of this?"

Z flashed Charlie an apologetic smile which the green ranger reluctantly accepted, she could be mad at her girlfriend. The others though were an entirely different story, "You lot can't get on to any SPD systems anymore and if I try and log on, they'll be able to trace my location". Z then found the instant messaging function on the game and spotted her contact, "What we need is someone on the inside", she add and began typing a message.

"A contact who plays Brawl of Empires?" Cliff stated sceptically, "what kind of mad person would possible want to play a ten year old computer game?" Charlie kicked the green A Squad ranger in the leg, drawing a high pitched squeal of pain from the man, "I'm just saying, surely no one plays this game still", he added defensively.

To prove him wrong and much to Charlie's smug satisfaction, the computer pinged in response to the message. Another onscreen avatar appeared next to Charlie's, that of a blue haired female in a loose fitting white robes with red triangular patterns around the sleeves, "Alright we're connected but it'll take a few seconds to sync up the webcams", Z began.

"This will be interesting", Rachel mumbled under her breath, "I bet this someone from your team Z".

"Got it in one", Z shuffled back next to Charlie, "probably not who you're expecting though".

"If it's that air head pink ranger I'm leaving", Cliff snorted.

"Don't talk about Syd that way", it was Z turn to kick the green A Squad ranger. Charlie smiled, her girl made sure to kick him in the same spot she had done, "I think you'll be in for a pleasant surprise".

The camera feed flashed into life, revealing the familiar face of Bridge Carson, "Hey Z", he greeted warmly before setting eyes on A Squad, "didn't realise we'd have an audience".

"There's a perfectly good explanation", Z began, "see A Squad were coerced into doing those things by a mixture of Grumm and a traitor buried deep within SPD. We're working together to unmask the traitor and clear their name".

There was a brief pause and Charlie agonised over the blue ranger's response. Bridge was probably the hardest person to read she ever encountered, however, he had the best instincts of any officer she ever worked with and that was without using his aura reading ability. Therefore she wasn't surprised when he merely shrugged and replied, "Alright what can I do to help?"

"That's all you need?" Cliff asked, extremely puzzled, "a couple of sentences from Z and you're willing to believe anything".

"I trust her judgement", Bridge stated confidently, "plus if you wanted to harm her you would've done so already and if you were holding her for ransom, you wouldn't have delivered the demand through an IM on Brawl of Empires".

Charlie could see the rest of her team were impressed, they had considered Bridge as a joke and a clown. If she was honest until she began to work with Bridge, Charlie held the same opinion. It was only when she began to work with him closely that the green ranger began to understand his process. Put simply, Bridge didn't have a process. Not one that could be followed by anyone other than Bridge at least. It was his unpredictability, inventiveness and unorthodox methods that kept him one step ahead of the criminals. "Alright before we begin I do have one question", Cliff began, "why's your character in this game a chick?"

"Oh that easy", Bridge grinned broadly, "see the White Mage is often seen as the weakness character in an MMORPG but their ability to heal, coupled with some powerful upper level spells-".

"Sorry but I'd like to go back to bed sometime before sunrise", Rachel interrupted the green ranger, "can you search the SPD database for the name Avi".

If Bridge was offended by Rachel interrupting his flow, it didn't show on his face. He began to type into another computer, still half facing the screen, "That all you've got, just the name Avi?"

"No", Charlie sighed, this was the point of no return. If she finished her sentence then there was a very real chance one or both her parents could go to prison. There could also be a chance they were innocent of any crime. The question was, did she want to know the truth? This situation wasn't purely about her though, there were also the lives of her team to consider. A bit of personal pain was a small price to pay for their freedom, "Also run a search for Richard and Susanna Matthews in the staff files", she added.

"You sure about this?" Z asked and squeezed her hand.

"Not really but everyone deserves to know the truth", Charlie smiled in response.

Their moment was spoilt by a loud klaxon from Bridge's end of the connection, "That can't be good", he began, "level 10 access needed to view any searches relating to Avi".

"Supreme Commander level", Ivan grunted, "only they can put flags on files to restrict files to level 10 access".

There was silence from both ends and Charlie watched with some concern as Bridge began to frown deeply. The blue ranger rarely frowned so the only logical conclusion was that he had found something disturbing, "Bridge, what else is there?"

"Your parents", Bridge began slowly, "well your mother specifically, did you know she was a research scientist?"

Charlie frowned, her mother had never shown any aptitude for science to her knowledge, "You sure you've got the right person?" In response Bridge swung the screen around he was looking at, revealing a staff picture of a young Susanna Matthews, "I-I didn't know".

"It gets worse", Bridge began darkly, "in 2001 she was working on a genetic research project, chief designer and engineer apparently. Allegedly the science behind the experiment was flawed but she insisted on continuing with the project, even roping in some of the junior scientists in the fledging SPD".

"2001?" Z whispered, "isn't that the same year of our parents accident that gave us our powers".

"Not just the same year", Bridge paused and sighed, "it was the same experiment".

A veil was lifted from Charlie's vision, suddenly everything was becoming clear. Her mother had created and coerced some scientists into a questionable experiment which then backfired horribly. No wonder Spader was called upon, her father probably asked him to make the whole thing go away. Next to her she could feel the tension in Z's body, she never knew her real parents and by a cruel twist of fate, it was probably Charlie's parents who had been partially responsible for that, "Lizzy", she said quietly, "speak to me".

Z gently rubbed Charlie's leg but the green ranger knew she was thinking deeply. After a few seconds of silence she blurted out, "Who else knew about this project?"

"The Commander, Doctor Manx and one other", Bridge replied and opened up a personnel file. There was a large gasp of shock as they took in the image, "Exactly what I thought", the blue ranger sighed.

The stunned silence drifted on for several moments, however, the more everyone thought about the final person the more everything made sense. Only one person realistically had the power to pull something like this off over such a long period of time, "Bridge, tell the team to be at this address by noon tomorrow", Z stated, "make sure you tell them everything".

As the connection ended Charlie watched as Z pulled out her Delta Morpher,"Lizzy what's your plan?" Charlie asked. The yellow ranger's finger hovered above the SPD database icon, "If you push that, everyone will know you're here".

"I know", Z shrugged, "that's the plan, we bring the person responsible here and end this".

A general murmur appreciate rolled around the room, "You've got balls I'll say that", Cliff snorted. Charlie had to agree and wrapped her girlfriend up in a one armed hug. They had a few hours to plan but if they had their way, everything would end tomorrow.

 _ **A/N –**_ _Meant to have out sooner but real life kinda got in the way. Approaching the end now probably only a few more chapters to go._


	32. Caged Bird

_Chapter 32 – Caged Bird_

Following the conference call with Bridge, Charlie and Z retired to bed but sleep didn't come easily. The pair kept tossing and turning for hours, each with a different concern on their minds. Charlie was rocked by the revelation that her mother was primarily responsible for the accident that befell Z parents. Her memories painted Susanna Matthews as someone whose idea of fusion was mixing a gin and tonic. She could barely make a cake but apparently she was a scientific genius who very nearly ushered in the next evolutionary step in the human genome. Details of the experiment had been completely expunged from the SPD database, not even Bridge could find any trace. Clearly though it had worked on some level, otherwise Z and the others wouldn't have their genetic powers.

For Z she kept dreaming about her birth parents and what it would've been like to have a real family. She was grateful to Jack, her brother in everything but blood but he couldn't truly replace the love of a mother or father. Unfortunately for the yellow ranger, anything relating to her parents had also been removed from file. She had a starting point for her search though, she now knew where her parents would've been in 2001. Hopefully it would simply be a process of elimination to find out exactly where she came from.

One thing the database did hold was details of the adopted families that should've taken in the future SPD Rangers. Z was interested to read about the Delgardo family, unfortunately she couldn't remember a thing about them. Her earliest memories consisted of her living in various homeless communes along the East Coast. Why had she left the Delgardos? That would be another question for her to investigate further.

The sun was up by the time Charlie and Z finally admitted defeat and got out of bed. A quick shower later and Z emerged to find her girlfriend already dressed in her old A Squad dress uniform. After spending the last few months seeing her in green, it was slightly strange to see Charlie sported a red uniform again, "Still fits", the dark haired woman grinned, "good to know I haven't put on any weight since I last wore this".

"Certainly looks good from where I'm standing", Z returned the smile, "it would look better on the floor though", she added with a sultry tone

"Elizabeth", Charlie warned, "you seriously need to work on your pick up lines". She grabbed Z's jacket off the bed and threw it over to the yellow ranger, "I'd love a quick roll but our targets will be here soon".

Z nodded, Charlie was certainly all business this morning. She could almost see the swirling emotions underneath Charlie's skin though but the A Squad red ranger was keeping a tight lid on them for now, "Back to red I see", Z commented as she finished tying her boots.

"Avi set out to smear A Squad's honour and reputation", Charlie replied firmly, "I'm standing with my squad today". She did unzip her jacket slightly to reveal a green undershirt, "I haven't forgotten about the team who helped me discover who I was again". She stepped closer to Z and gently placed a hand on her cheek, "Squads don't matter though, so long as you're by my side".

The B Squad yellow ranger caressed Charlie's arm, "You're not getting rid of me that easily", she leaned forward and softly kiss her girlfriend.

The moment was ruined though by a firm banging on the door, "Hey lovebirds", came Cliff voice through the door, "stop smooching and meet us downstairs, we've got something incoming".

"How that man made A Squad I'll never know", Charlie groaned under her breath, drawing a small chuckle from Z. The pair checked their morphers were in place before called a Delta Blaster to their hands. They were taking no chances, not today.

Exiting Charlie's bedroom they scampered down the main staircase and into the receiving hall. Waiting for them was the other four members of A Squad, all with their Rifle Blasters ready for action, "Alright team huddle up", Charlie called out, "the big bad is on his way and we need all entrances covered".

"What's the play boss?" Rachel asked, standing firmly to attention. After spending a day in the company of the crude and occasionally juvenile A Squad, Z found it slightly bizarre to see them switch into combat mode.

"Beevor you've got the best eyes here", Charlie began, "get to the roof and keep those eyes out for any sneak attacks. You're mopping up anything that we miss, got that?" the blue A Squad ranger grunted and nodded, "Ivan, Rachel you cover the back entrance", Charlie continued, "Cliff position yourself at the top of the stairs, I want you to cover this hall".

"What about you two?" the green A Squad ranger queried.

Charlie's eyes briefly flashed over to Z before returning to her squad mate, "The big boss is coming through the main door and we're going to be here to meet him", as she finished the sentence, Charlie reached out and grasped Z's hand for comfort.

Cliff nodded, "Alright you heard the boss", he called out, "everyone into their positions, we'll have contact in less than two minutes".

As A Squad dispersed to their assigned positions, Richard and Susanna Matthews scrambled into the entrance hall, "There's a helicopter coming into land", the patriarch of the family paused when he saw his daughter armed for a fight, "Charlotte what's going on?" he asked cautiously.

"An old family friend is dropping in", Charlie replied coolly, "someone by the name of Avi", the older Matthews stiffened at the mention of his name, "so you know who he is then?" it was a rhetorical question but Z could tell that her girlfriend really wanted to see her parents reaction.

"What the hell have you done Charlotte?" Susanna cried, "that beast will bring nothing but ruin on this house.

There was a brief tense pause until Z watched in horror as Charlie raised her blaster in her mother's direction, "Charlie, no!" the yellow ranger cried desperately. She knew that Charlie was upset by Susanna's actions but she wasn't expecting her to draw a weapon on her own mother, "Do you want to go back into containment", she pleaded with her girlfriend, "this isn't going to solve anything".

The standoff continued for several more tense seconds and Z was genuinely considering reaching for her own weapon. Fortunately Charlie saw sense and quickly lowered her blaster, "The only beast here is you mother", Charlie spat, "because of you Z and the rest of her team grew up without their parents". Susanna Matthews had the good grace to look slightly ashamed at the comment, "Let's not even get started on the lies you've told me over the last twenty odd years".

"Charlotte that's not what happened", Richard pleaded with his daughter.

The conversation though was cut short as the sound of propeller blades whirred overhead. Z looked outside and spotted an SPD helicopter landing slowly on the extensive grounds of Matthews Manor. The door opened and out stepped three white suited elite guards. Bridge often remarked that the elite guards resembled Storm Troopers from the Star Wars series. It was easy to see why, the polished white armour certain gave off that vibe. Z really found the featureless white helmets that the guards wore creepy, quite why SPD guards needed anonymity was beyond her.

The three guards were soon followed by three more before their person of interest stepped onto the grass. Z tightened her grip on her weapon as their target approached and she could see Charlie's jaw muscles twitching with anger. Moments later the doors opened and the guards stepped inside, "Officer Delgardo, I see you've successfully apprehended the fugitive".

"Cut the crap", Charlie hissed, "I know who you really are Fowler or should I say Avi".

The revelation that Supreme Commander Birdie Fowler was the puppet master and information leak they had been searching for all this time didn't come as a huge shock to Z. There were few people with his level of clearance within SPD plus the yellow ranger never really liked the avian. She always felt there was something off about him and he was always very keen to avoid Bridge and his aura reading abilities, "I have no idea what you're talking about", Fowler growled in his defence.

"I thought you would say that", Charlie reached into the pocket of her uniform trousers and pulled out her cell, "Documents confirming that you were one of three senior SPD officials that were present during the initial stages of Project Indigo", she flicked over the images on the screen, "travel logs showing you passing very close to Grumm controlled areas of space over the last few years-"

"Where did you get those", Fowler squawked.

"It's amazing what Bridge can do when highly motivated", Z began, "ironic really that the ones to finally bring you down are the result of your experiments". The yellow ranger's senses began to tingle and out the corner of her eye she noticed one of the guards raising his weapon. He wasn't quick enough as a laser bolt from above struck him in the chest. Two more followed as Cliff picked off the other guards flanking Fowler. Before the Supreme Commander could draw his weapon, Charlie and Z pointed theirs in his direction, "Let's not do anything stupid, _Sir_ ".

"And you can destroy this phone all you want", Charlie added, "Bridge and I have sent copies to every high ranking official within SPD along with the DA of every state on the East Coast".

Birdie Fowler glared angrily at the two women, Z felt like he was trying to burn their very souls with his stare, "Do you know how long I've spent at SPD, working my way through the ranks to become the person I am today?" Z's finger hovered over the trigger, anticipating an attack by the Supreme Commander, "Only to have everything wiped out by two insignificant SPD officers like you".

"My daughter is not insignificant", Richard Matthews snapped.

Fowler though merely snorted, "Fine time to grow a pair of balls Richard, you were the one who went running to Spader after all for protection". He slowly approached the older Matthews but Z never adjusted her aim, "Ironic really, it was your money that helped put him into power and look where that got you".

"We all make mistakes Fowler", Richard growled, "it's how you correct them that defines you".

"Yet you attempted to fix your mistakes by hiding away in your secure mansion for twenty years", Fowler scolded the man, "I know exactly what kind of man that makes you".

Z watched Fowler reach ever closer to Richard Matthews. Fearing a hostage situation she was about to warn the Supreme Commander but her partner was already one step ahead, "Step away from him Fowler", Charlie warned, "I have a man on you right now". Fowler turned around slowly, a sneer etched across his short beak, "I have all the evidence yet I still don't have a motive", she continued, "why frame my team?"

"Oh is this the part where the evil villain discloses his dastardly plan", Fowler responded sarcastically, "why does anyone do anything Officer Matthews", he leaned a little closer, "power".

"That's it?" Z asked, "you've ruined countless lives and whole planets just for a small amount of power?"

"Scary isn't it", Fowler was unnaturally calm and it was unnerving Z, "there is only power in the universe, no good, no evil", he continued, "only the great learn how to use that power".

Z's arm shook slightly with rage, it was very tempting to put a blaster round between his eyes but that wouldn't help clear Charlie and the rest of A Squad, "Forcing my team into Grumm clutches", Charlie began, "what kind of power did that give you?" she spat.

"The best kind", Fowler smiled, "the power of control". He took a moment to allow his words to sink in before continuing, "Cruger has always been an unwilling pawn of mine and I knew his conscience would get the better of him one day", he looked down his glasses at Z, "especially when the spawn of Indigo mysteriously starting showing up at the Academy. I knew the Ranger program was his pet project so what better way to discredit the man than by destroying his legacy".

"His Rangers go bad and turn on the planet, Cruger takes the fall and one more obstacle is out the way", Charlie filled in the gaps, "you're a proper psycho, you know that?"

"Takes one to know one Matthews", Fowler smirked, "it didn't take an awful lot to nudge you and the others down the dark path". Z could see the rage in Charlie's eyes building, "So here I am, the one who ruined your life and career", he leaned forward and added with a whisper, "what are you going to do about it?"

Suddenly everything became clear for Z, Fowler wanted Charlie to take a shot at him. Someone who had spent this long working on building up power would have a contingency for this situation. Dead or injured, Folwer could spin it against Charlie and A Squad. Cliff had already taken out three guards and whilst Z knew they were drawing weapons, it was only his words against Fowler's.

Fearing that Charlie would give into her anger, Z reached out slowly and carefully placed her hand on Charlie's arm, "Don't do this", she whispered, "the woman I love wouldn't do this".

The effect was almost instantaneous and Z could feel her partner's muscles relaxing. He slowly lowered her weapon and began reaching for her morpher, "Birdie Fowler, I charge you with numerous crimes against humanity", she began.

Before she could finish reading his rights, Fowler growled with anger, "You think you're so clever", he hissed, "no one has beaten me and it sure as hell won't be two little girls". Almost without them noticing a small remote control appeared in his hands, "You might've gotten lucky with one Sentinel but who will you fair against the remaining four".

The compound wall suddenly exploded in a shower of debris, littering the pristine lawns of Matthews Manor. Four killer robots stomped into the grounds and began charging up their weapons. Fowler grinned evilly as Charlie and Z wondered how the hell they were going to get out of this one.

 _ **A/N –**_ _So...it's been a while hasn't it. Can't believe that it's been four months since I updated this story. Got stuck in a dry patch that's only just beginning to clear. I promise it won't be another four months before I update again._


	33. Dance of Death

_Chapter 33 – Dance of Death_

Charlie could only watch in horror as Fowler's Sentinels launched an assault on her childhood home. She might've grown to detest the place but that was mainly down to her parents and the general prison like atmosphere that reverberated around the grounds. To think that the place could be reduced to rubble in a few minutes was devastating to the A Squad red ranger. More importantly though several staff were still employed at the property and as much as she'd love to have all eyes on Fowler, getting them out was the priority, "Rachel, Ivan", she said regretfully into her morpher, "clear the grounds of any staff in the kitchens and the attached staff quarters".

" _We've got a couple of big guys coming up from the rear Caz"_ , Rachel responded, " _not sure that's a good idea"._

"Civilian lives are more important", Charlie stated firmly, "Beevor you stay on the roof, get a few shots away if you can but don't risk your own life". There was no response from the mute blue ranger but somehow she knew that Beevor would follow her orders. "Cliff", she barked up the stairs, "get my parents somewhere safe but not too comfortable, SPD will have plenty of questions for them".

A reluctant green ranger slowly made his way down the stairs, his blaster trained on Fowler at all times. The Supreme Commander though didn't look overly concerned, if anything he looked slightly amused by the whole situation. Charlie barely registered the protests of her mother, choosing to block out anything that could push her temper over the edge. Instead she kept her brown eyes firmly locked with Fowler, "What now?" she addressed the Supreme Commander, "your Sentinels trash my home and the finger of blame gets pointed firmly at my team".

Fowler smirked, "Renegade Ranger Charlotte Matthews takes brutal revenge on her family, maybe because she was written out of her father's will".

"That's a load of bullshit", Charlie swore, "my father would never do that".

"You're right, he wouldn't", Fowler sniffed, "he still loves his precious little girl". He inched a little closer, ignoring the blaster Z was pointing in his direction, "Do you really think the press cares about the truth anymore? Fake news has been my business for years, all it will take it a few false stories on a variety of online news websites and you'll be more unpopular than the plague". Charlie bit her lip, annoyed that Fowler was absolutely correct. The truth didn't matter anymore and public perception was everything. Given her team's track record his story would be completely believable.

The tense atmosphere was broken when Z's morpher buzzed. The yellow ranger carefully removed it from its holder, making sure to keep her weapon aimed at Fowler, "Sounds like you've covered every base doesn't it _Sir",_ she snorted, "it's a shame that we haven't got any zords to use against your Sentinels".

"Budgets cuts", Fowler smiled cruelly, "with Grumm defeated there was simply no need to rebuild the zords that your girlfriend and her team destroyed". Charlie's fisted clenched tightly, Fowler just had to twist the knife with every word that came out of his mouth.

The foundations of the house rocked and for a moment Charlie thought the Sentinels had reached the property already. She was stunned then to see a large blue spaceship flash overhead, followed closely by a smaller, silver jet, "But, that's not possible", Fowler cried at the sight of the craft, "I thought they were scrapped by the Karovians".

"Fake news I'm afraid", Z smiled sweetly, "probably Supreme Commander Andros's work". Charlie stared as the two ships slowly began to convert into vaguely humanoid shapes, "A little present from Kenzie and her father, I assume you recognise the Astro Megaship and the Mega Winger".

How could Charlie not recognise two of the most famous ships in Ranger history? She was barely alive when the ships last fought on Earth during Dark Specter's invasion of 1998. Last she heard the Astro Megaship was in possession of the Galaxy Rangers on Mirinoi with another version of the craft in a Karovian space port. There was no active Silver Space Ranger since Karone's retirement, the Mega Winger had been mothballed in a hangar somewhere. She assumed Jack was piloting the silver craft with the other SPD rangers in the now fully converted Astro Megazord, "They'll need your help", Charlie said to Z, "get up there and help them out".

Z's head spun around sharply, "But what about you, they'll need both of us".

"I can't let him get away", Charlie growled, "A Squad are nearby, if I get into trouble I'll call them". Z didn't look convinced but the rumbling sounds of battle were getting closer. Charlie was about to pull rank but Z reluctantly jogged towards the front door and out into the gardens, "I won't do anything stupid, he's not worth it", the A Squad red ranger added in an attempt to reassure her partner.

"And yet you've let your only backup leave", Fowler shook his head , "that's against SPD protocol".

"Shut up you old buzzard", Charlie reached behind her back slowly to reach her morpher, "so how's this going to end Fowler, are you going to come peacefully?"

Fowler stood stoically for a moment until a large crystal sword appeared in his hand, "What do you think Officer Matthews?"

"Kinda hoped you'd say that", in a flash Charlie's A Squad morpher was out in front of her. She silently thanks whoever came up with the tradition of giving the red ranger's all the powerful toys before calling loudly, "SPD Emergency". The familiar black and red suit formed around her and at the same time, a silver sword flashed into her open right hand.

The pair slowly circled each other, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike, "This will just look even better for the morning papers", Fowler snorted, "rogue ranger assault on Supreme Commander ends in defeat for the psychopath".

"Talking about yourself", Charlie smirked behind her helmet, "do you really think you can defeat a fully powered ranger?"

"Do you think I rose to my position using my words alone?" Fowler didn't wait for a reply as he launched a vicious assault on the red ranger. Charlie gritted her teeth, this old bird really knew how to hit hard, "You wouldn't be the first ranger to fall to my blade", he taunted, "need I remind you about your old squad leader".

Charlie froze, she knew that her predecessor as A Squad leader had suffered an injury serious enough to force him into retirement. The person responsible had never been caught or been unmasked, until now, "You did that?" Charlie growled and threw herself into the battle even more furiously than before. The blades clashed repeatedly and the red ranger was slowly pushing Fowler out towards the gardens and into the waiting grasp of B Squad, "I won't let you hurt anyone again", she cried defiantly, her blade narrowly missing Fowler's throat.

"Brave words girl", Fowler hissed back angrily. A small energy ball appeared in his hand and he quickly threw it towards the roof of the entrance hall. The resulting blast knocked some bricks and plaster free and Charlie had to jump back to avoid getting hit.

Through the dust cloud she spotted Fowler fleeing into the adjoining room, "Come back here", she shouted and called her blaster to hand. The standard issue weapon for A Squad was more like a rifle than the small Delta Blasters assigned to A Squad. Her Alpha Blaster was lightweight yet powerful enough to level a house in just a few rounds. She hoped it wouldn't come to that but desperate times called for desperate measures. She wanted Fowler alive though and turned the weapon down to the lowest setting. It would still be enough to take him off his feet back he would be in one piece. If Fowler escaped or was killed during the fight, potentially all evidence against him would disappear as well.

Sprinting off in pursuit of the rogue Commander, she spotted him exiting the adjoining reception room and heading into the family library. Charlie fired off a warning shot that missed by several inches and only succeeded in shattering an ugly looking vase on the mantle piece, "Never liked that thing anyway", she quipped and continued in her chase.

Fowler had just enough time to do a number on the books in the library. The air was littered with singed paper that fluttered throughout the room. There were several tell tale scorch marks on the walls where the Supreme Commander had tried to torch the place but to no avail. Through the falling paper Charlie could see just enough to catch the back of Fowler. A quick blast from her weapon clipped the bird somewhere on his body. She couldn't see where it landed but the yelp of pain from Fowler was satisfying enough.

Out the back of the library was a winding corridor that prevented Charlie from getting a good shot. To add to her annoyance there were several doors along the corridor and Fowler could slip into any of them easily. When she rounded the next corner, Charlie feared that exactly that scenario had happened; Fowler was nowhere to be seen.

Along this stretch of corridor alone were three doors, each of them leading to different parts of the house. Pick the wrong door and the chase would be practically over as Fowler's lead would be too great. Charlie inched along the corridor slowly, searching for the slightest clue as to the direction the Supreme Commander had gone. Something caught her eye near one of the doors, a few crimson spots on the cream coloured carpet, "Blood", she muttered. Her shot must've done more damage than she thought if Fowler was bleeding. Cautiously she cracked the door open and with her blaster leading the way, she stepped through.

The doorway led to a small extension that led into the gardens. Glass panels separated the sun room from the now battered looking grass of the Matthews estate. In the distance she could see the smoking remains of one Sentinel and it look like the Astro Megazord was close to taking down another. The one thing she couldn't amongst the wicker furniture and tall plants was Fowler, much to her frustration. Clearly she had chosen the wrong door and the blood trail was a trap. Charlie was right about the trap, just not in the way she would realise until it was too late.

Before she had a chance to turn around something blasted her in the back. She was propelled through the air, crashing through the glass panels and out into the gardens. The red ranger rolled along the ground, her head buzzed from the force of the blast. As she stared towards the sky, a dark shadow suddenly loomed overhead, "Did you really think I would let you escape?" Fowler cackled with laughter, "if today is the day SPD catches up to me, I'm making damn sure that I take you down with me".

Charlie's head was still ringing from the previous attack and it was only on instinct that she rolled out the way of Fowler's sword. The blade stuck in the soft turf long enough for Charlie to grab her fallen blaster. Even at the lowest setting, the close proximity to Fowler would probably cause some serious damage. Without think she fired and the red energy ball slammed into his arm. Charlie swore she could hear the bones of his arm snap as Fowler cried in pain, his right arm now hanging limply to one side.

Unfortunately this only made him angrier, "You insolent little human", he cried with inhuman rage. An energy ball summoned from his left hand slammed into Charlie's protective armour, rocking the already unstable red ranger. A warning from inside her helmet alerted her that the suit was close to overloading, "You will bow before me", Fowler snarled and he unleashed another energy attack. Charlie's nerves were on fire as the suit failed and she crumpled to the ground. She coughed violently, spitting out a small amount of blood in the process. A vicious kick to her ribs rolled her further along the ground, "I should've destroyed your containment card when I had the chance".

Charlie's vision darkened slightly, she had pictured her death a few times but it wasn't supposed to happen this way. At the very least she wasn't going to die lying down. Her limbs disagreed vehemently but she slowly dragged herself to her feet. For a brief second she swore that Fowler looked impressed, "No weapons, no morpher and no hope", he summed up her situation pretty well, drawing a small and sarcastic laugh from her lips. "I'll never understand the human desire to die standing up", Fowler sighed, another energy ball building in his hand.

Suddenly Fowler yelped in pain, a yelp that was swiftly followed by a strangled gurgle. The brewing concussion could be causing an hallucination but Charlie swore there was a sword sticking out of Fowler's neck. The Supreme Commander's hands reached for the protruding tip, flapping aimlessly as his life slowly drained away. His eyelids drooped a couple of times before he fell to his knees and slumped face first to the ground. His body gave one last involuntary spasm before Supreme Commander breathed his last.

Staggering on her feet Charlie looked around for her saviour only to find her mother, her hand clasped to her mouth in horror, standing a few feet behind the fallen Commander's body. Her eyes and thoughts focused long enough to murmur out a strangled, "What have you done?"

Her mother didn't move, too stunned to even breathe. Charlie swayed again, only this time she was caught by a strong pair of hand, "Alright boss, take it easy", Cliff's voice whispered into her ear.

"She killed him", Charlie said in a strangled voice to the green A Squad ranger, "they'll stick her in a card for this".

"Worry about that later boss", Cliff tried to reassure her, "looks like your girl's coming this way".

Charlie recognised Z's frantic voice but the words didn't properly register with her brain. All she could think about was her mother, stabbing the Supreme Commander of SPD to death with his own blade. He might've been a homicidal maniac but with Fowler dead, the case against him was irrelevant. If any details of this hit the news, SPD as an entity could be join Fowler in the afterlife. Charlie's body though was tired of thinking and slowly shut down to allow the healing process to begin.

 _ **A/N –**_ _I've been a bit grumpy this week, probably why I enjoyed writing Fowler's death a little more than I should've. Keeping with the slight Space Ranger crossover I revived the Astro Megazord and Mega Winger for the fight. I figured they'd probably still be around somewhere and in reasonable working order so why the hell not. I didn't write the Zord v Sentinel fight though, Charlie v Fowler was much more interesting._

 _Only two more chapter left now I'm sorry to say which should wrap everything up nicely_


	34. The Greater Good

_Chapter 34 –The Greater Good_

The darkness of sleep was slowly getting replaced with the faint light of consciousness for Charlie. She carefully opened her eyes before deciding that was a bad idea. The lights in the room were dim but even that small amount was extremely painful. The green ranger attempted to shuffle upwards in her bed but was halted by a sharp, stabbing pain in her ribs followed by a throbbing sensation behind her eyes. It took her a few moments to remember what happened, the fight with Birdie Fowler and getting her backside handed to her by the supposedly codgery old bird.

Charlie then remembered her Mom stabbing the Supreme Commander of SPD which his own blade. That alone was enough to cause her a massive headache even without the forceful landing or the overcharged energy blasts. Despite everything, her mother had saved her from certain death. Charlie's heart would've been warmed if it wasn't for the fact Susanna Matthews was probably going to spend a very long time in a containment card. A good lawyer could argue self defence and in normal circumstances that would probably be enough to set her free. If the jury were made privy to her other list of crimes though, she was surely doomed to the same fate Charlie suffered a few months ago.

Opening her eyes again Charlie realised that she wasn't in the medical center but her own quarters. In the dim light she recognised her vintage Justice League poster on one wall and a couple of Z's band posters on the other. She noticed that the yellow ranger's bed was empty and began to wonder where her girlfriend was. Charlie got her answer seconds later when the main lights were turned on and the sudden influx of light almost made her brain explode with pain, "Jesus frakking Christ", she hissed and quickly covered her eyes.

"Sorry", Z mumbled apologetically and turned the lights off, "you're awake then".

"No I'm just talking very coherently in my sleep", Charlie grumbled back, dropping her head against the pillow but even this caused her significant pain.

"Surly and sarcastic", Z chuckled lightly, "yep I think you're going to be fine". Charlie's head and ribs hurt too much to form a witty retort. Moments later she felt Z's hand brushing away some hair from her face and almost instantly her tense muscles began to relax, "Don't you dare scare me like that again", the yellow ranger whispered, "if you do I'll put you in hospital myself".

A small snort of laughter escaped Charlie's lips, "Yeah you would Lizzy", she smiled, "so how long was I out for?"

"Only a night", Z began, "you woke up in the med center after about an hour and refused to stay. Cruger threatened to lock you up until you calmed down but I persuaded him to move you to our quarters where I can keep an eye on you". Charlie grinned to herself imagining Z dressed as a nurse, "You're picturing me in a nurse's uniform aren't you?" the yellow ranger grumbled, "really, that's what you're thinking about right now".

"Hey whatever helps the patient get better", Charlie wagged her eyebrows, "so how long am I confined to this bed for?" she added, turning a little more serious for a moment.

"No real time limit", Z replied, "but you've limited to non strenuous activities for a few day, of any nature", she added, emphasising the last few words. She handed Charlie a couple of white tablets and a bottle of water, "These should take the edge off the headache until Ranger healing kicks in".

Charlie placed the tablets in her mouth and swallowed them with a generous swig of water. It wasn't until the cool water hit her lips that she realised how thirsty she was. The green ranger finished half the bottle before handing it back to Z, "Cruger's scheduled a team meeting for this afternoon, assuming you're feeling better of course", Z continued, "whatever he wants to talk about sounds important and urgent".

"Probably wants to kick me out of SPD for going rogue", Charlie snorted, laying her head back down.

"I'd like to see him try", Z snapped angrily, "if he kicks you out then I'm leaving too".

Belying her sore head and muscles, Charlie's quickly reached out and grabbed Z's hand, "Don't put your career at risk just for me".

Z though merely smiled, "Silly Charlie, don't you realise that we come as a pair now. I've only just got you and I'm not letting you out of my sight again", she leaned down and gently kissed the green ranger. Charlie thought that was a better cure for her headache than any medicine and was a little disappointed when Z pulled away, "Get some more rest and you can have some more of that when you wake up", she promised. Reluctantly Charlie complied with Z's request and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep in a matter of moments.

Several hours later Charlie and the rest of B Squad were gathered in the primary operations room. The green ranger's headache had subsided but she was still sensitive to light, forcing her to wear a pair of sunglasses. She felt a little ridiculous but it was either this or deposit the contents of her stomach on the floor from the pain.

Z kept hold of her hand the entire time, not caring what the others thought about their public display of affection. She could see a few amused looks from Syd and Bridge. Sky was his usual stoic self but he wasn't quoting some vague regulation to force them to cease. Jack was the curiosity though, his face was a blank canvas although there was a hint of resignation behind his eyes. Charlie got the impression he wasn't happy with his best friend's relationship but he wasn't going to say anything against it.

When Cruger entered the room B Squad stood up to salute, gingerly in Charlie's case. Moments later he was followed by Doctor Manx, Supreme Commander Andros, Kenzi Hammond and the rest of A Squad. Charlie frowned, when Z said this meeting sounded important she wasn't expecting a huge gathering like this. The group of fourteen struggled to fit into the room, A Squad lined up at the back of the room with the senior officers standing at the front, "At ease everyone", Cruger announced much to Charlie gratitude. The base Commander couldn't help but notice her glasses though, "I didn't realise we were accessorizing our uniforms Matthews", he said dryly.

"Not really an accessory, more a medical necessity", Charlie shrugged, drawing a small rumbling of laughter from the officers. That was swiftly cut off by a sharp glare from Cruger, "They're keeping my headache at bay, you know from the concussion I suffered at the hands of our ex-Supreme Commander".

The senior officers stiffened slightly at the mere mention of Fowler and Cruger wisely decided to move on swiftly, "That's why we've gathered everyone today", he began, "to discuss SPD's next steps".

"Apart from the other Special Ops officers, Richard and Susanna Matthews are the only ones who know the extent of Fowler's treachery", Andros stated. Charlie's heart sunk a little wondering what they were going to do about that, "And if I'm honest, that's the way I would like it to stay".

Charlie looked puzzled, a expression shared by the others, "Four killer robots attack the home of a prominent East Coast family leading to the death of an SPD Supreme Commander", Sky spoke for the team, "that's a little hard to keep quiet".

"The Matthews have a history of assisting SPD, either in the field or with scientific research", Cruger replied, "a test run of four new defenders went rogue, leading to the accidental death of Supreme Commander Fowler".

Charlie couldn't keep silent any longer, "He died from a sword to his chest-"

Cruger though continued with the cover story, talking over Charlie all the time, "The Sentinels came equipped with bladed weapons, one of which impaled the Supreme Commander-".

"His own sword, wielded by my mother-"

"He died defending Susanna Matthews-"

"What are we going to say, he accidentally tripped and fell on his own sword?"

"Matthews, enough", Cruger barked, ending the noisy exchanged quickly. He let out a deep sigh before continuing, "You remind me of what I used to be like about thirty years ago Charlie", he continued in a softer tone. Charlie also noticed the use of her first name rather than her surname, something Cruger had never done in the eleven years she had known him, "I used to see everything in black and white, guilty or innocent", he sighed again, "sometimes though the world is very grey".

A tense silence fell over the room until Bridge slowly raised his hand, "So we're covering up Fowler's crimes then?" he asked, getting right to the point, "at the risk of sounding stupid, why?"

Charlie was thinking the same thing, Fowler had brought harm not just to Earth but countless other systems too, "Think about this Bridge", Kenzi answered for her father, "one of the founders of SPD is uncovered as probably the worst war criminal in decades, how does that reflect on us?"

"So this is about saving face then", Jack snorted.

"It's about more than that", Andros began, "SPD has branches across the Galaxy. If ordinary people stop believing SPD will protect them that will give strength and power to the criminals. Earth would probably be fine, local law enforcement would pick up the slack but some planets rely solely on SPD for protection".

The bigger picture suddenly became clearer to Charlie and she didn't like it one bit. She could tell by the look on Cruger's face that he didn't either, "The greater good", the green ranger sighed.

"Precisely", Andros nodded, "despite what we teach our children", he looked over a Kenzi briefly, "doing the wrong thing can sometimes be for the best". He allowed that to sink in for a moment, ignoring the sullen faces on the assembled officers, "Fowler was good at covering his tracks so on the whole so there's no physical evidence, most of his network as been disabled by Kenzi and her team, leaving us the only ones aware of his crimes".

"Our silence allows SPD to continuing protecting the most venerable but at the cost of our personal integrity", Charlie grumbled, "great, something else to add to my conscience".

"I don't like this either", Andros snapped, "things were much easier in my day, a monster would appear, we'd destroy it and go back to the ship for some foul tasting rations produced by the synthesizer".

"Like Charlie said, the greater good", Sky nodded towards the Supreme Commander, "I don't think any of us like this but if our silence can help billions of people, what more can we do?" Charlie looked behind her at A Squad, they seemed to be as apprehensive as everyone else but Sky was right. If SPD collapsed, lawlessness would reign in large parts of the Galaxy which would be more devastating in the long run.

With the mood already a little glum, Cruger decided this was the time to drop another bomb shell, "By now I'm sure everyone is aware that myself and Doctor Manx were heavily involved in Project Indigo". In all the confusion around Fowler's true nature and death, Charlie had almost forgotten about the experiment that dragged her parents into this mess, "Fowler used that as leverage against the two of us", he spoke for Kat, "it was a different time then, two alien refugees involved in a genetic experiment that injured five promising American citizens".

"We would've been deported in a matter of seconds", Kat added with a slightly fearful tone, "or worst, depending who caught up to us first".

"Just answer one thing for us", Sky began, "we're all adopted which means that something happened to our real parents". Charlie watched as Cruger stiffened in his stance, "Knowing Fowler's true nature I'm guessing they're no longer around and haven't been for some time".

Cruger nodded sadly, "I didn't discover this until after the Armada War", he began, "Fowler just said they had been moved into a protection scheme. When I found out what really happened to them I made sure to personally look out for their children".

"Yeah good job", Charlie snorted, "two of them were left out on the streets until fairly recently", a sharp elbow in her sensitive ribs from Z drew a small yelp of pain, "well it's the truth".

"I had already brought three of the children into SPD", Cruger's gaze briefly fell over Sky, Bridge and Syd, "I couldn't risk having all five of you in one place. Fowler's suspicions were already raised but I made sure that Delgardo and Landors were as protected as you could be".

Charlie's temper was slightly abated, she recalled a story that Z had told her about a time when Cruger directly came to her rescue. That didn't mean she was overly happy though, "Do you think that's why Fowler turned his attention to us?" Rachel asked from the rear of the room, reminding everyone A Squad were still here.

"I suspect so although I never realised this until I spoke with Officer Matthews a few months ago", Cruger replied, "that's when Andros came to me with this plan and well, you know the rest". There was a light murmuring from the room as A Squad grumbled under the breath, "So what do we do now?" Cruger brought the room under control, "I understand that some or all of you could have difficulties working with myself and Doctor Manx knowing what you now know". He paused and took in a deep breath, "That's why we're resigning from SPD, effective immediately".

There was a brief moment of stunned silence before the room broke out into loud protests. Even Charlie was shocked by the announcement, sure Cruger had his faults and his secrets but after a while the negative feelings would've subsided. If she could get accepted again then a hero like Cruger wouldn't have any difficulties, "So Fowler dies as a hero and you take the fall", Charlie sniffed with annoyance, "sounds fair to me".

"To be honest with everyone I've been thinking about this for a while", Cruger leaned on his desk and suddenly looked very old and tired, "With Grumm and now Fowler gone I have nothing left to accomplish", he sighed, "I'm a soldier without a war to fight". He glanced down to where Charlie knew a picture of his wife sat, "I've been given a second chance with Isinia and I want to take full advantage of that".

Charlie nodded appreciatively towards the Commander, he was giving up the job he liked for the woman he loved. All respect she might've lost due to the Fowler incident had come back and then some, "And you Kat, what are you going to do?" Syd asked, "surely you can't be retiring".

"I'm only 148", the cat woman replied, "that's early twenties by human standards so I'm certainly not ready for the scrap heap". The room broke into a small smattering of laughter, "I thought I'd try my hand in the private sector for a bit but I'm not ruling out a return to SPD someday, given the longevity of my species". Charlie could see a few tears in the Doctor's eyes, "Despite appearances, Boom will be more than capable as my replacement", she sniffed away any tears and laughed, "just keep a few fire extinguishers handy".

The joke dispelled some of the sadness in the room but not all of it. Charlie was furious that two good people had to leave their jobs to keep up this ridiculous charade. Maybe this is what Cruger meant when he said the pair were very similar, "So that leads me on to the subject of Anubis's replacement", Andros began, "typically SPD will promote from within and the next most senior officer will step up into the role".

His gaze along with everyone else's fell immediately on Sky and the red ranger knew it, "Me?" he said, "no disrespect Commander but I hardly feel that's the best decision".

"Honesty like that means you will make an excellent base commander", Andros smiled, "someday". Sky breathed a large sigh of relief, "You've only been red ranger for a few months, perhaps in a couple of years you can slip into the hot seat". Sky nodded gratefully at the Supreme Commander's show of faith in his ability, "A replacement for Commander Cruger will be announced shortly but it won't be anyone in this room", he shrugged, "sorry to disappoint".

"Careful Dad that was nearly a joke", Kenzi sniggered, "I will be moving to Earth to establish a Special Ops team which will be made up of the remaining member's of A Squad". She paused to look towards Charlie for a moment, "We will need a red ranger though, do you know anyone that would fit the bill?"

"Is that a question or a job offer?" Charlie asked to which she only received a non committal shrug in response. Special Ops was something she had dreamed of for years and by the sounds of it, Kenzi was offered her leadership of the team and her old position. She hesitated though and looked at B Squad, her new friends who stood by her throughout everything in the last few months. They were more than friends though, they were becoming her family, "I think whoever you choose will inherit a great group of people", she glanced briefly over her shoulder at A Squad.

Kenzi raised an eyebrow, "Not throwing your hat into the ring?"

Charlie looked at Z and gave her a smile, "I kinda like it here", the yellow ranger beamed in response.

"Shame you made a great red ranger", Cruger praised the woman, "and would've again".

"Maybe I will again someday", Charlie shrugged, "after all if Mr Roboto is being groomed for your job, I'll move one step closer to being in red again".

"And on that note I'll think we'll call this meeting to a close", Cruger stood up straight and saluted the two squads, "For the last time, Rangers dismissed".

Charlie slowly got to her feet, assisted by Z who kept hold of her hand at all times, "That's not what I was expecting to hear today", Sky said mutely at the two Ranger squad shuffled away, "but Supreme Commander Andros thinks I can be Base Commander one day".

"Great, like your ego needed any more of a boost", Syd linked arms with her boyfriend, "so we've got a few days of leave, what's everyone going to do".

Charlie vaguely heard the others detail their plans, hers most consisted of sleeping in an attempt to shift her headache. She felt compelled to visit her family home though, just to see what damage could be fixed quickly. It was mainly to make sure the staff were alright, they had escaped harm but at the cost of their personal quarters on the estate. She looked down at her hand, still interlocked with Z's. Whatever she did in the next, she wanted this person by her side for as long as Z would have her.

 _ **A/N**_ _– Two updates in a week, I'm really spoiling you. Bit of a bittersweet wrap really, the battle's done and they kinda won but it doesn't feel like a victory. Only an epilogue to come and this story will be done._


	35. Writing History's Wrongs

_Chapter 35 – Writing History's Wrongs_

The Matthews Estate had certainly seen better days. The once lush green lawns were now little more than mud patches complete with burned out craters dotted around at random intervals. The debris from the Sentinels had been cleared away along with the larger pieces of rubble but there was still plenty of cleaning work needed. Inside the main entrance hall, Charlie surveyed the damage to her childhood home. Lumps of brick and plaster lay in the once grand hallway and there was a thick coat of dust everywhere. Walking further into the property, several walls had suffered laser burns and those were the lightly damaged ones. A couple of walls had been complete obliterated including a load bearing one. Until the structural engineers paid a visit, no one was allowed upstairs unless they wanted the ceiling to fall in.

A week had passed since the death of Supreme Commander Fowler and events had proceeded largely as Anubis Cruger predicted. The Sirian turned in his badge along with the Shadow morpher, leaving Delta Base with a full guard of honour as he entered retirement. Closely following him was Doctor Manx who, if the rumours were to be believed, had taken up a rather well paid job in the private sector.

There were a few tears at the departure of the duo but life at SPD soon returned to normal. Cruger's replacement had been announced just hours after his departure. Supreme Commander Andros must've called in a favour or two as the new base Commander was the former leader of the Silver Guardians, Eric Myers. The now retired Quantum Ranger brought his no nonsense style to the organisation, immediately sending both Ranger squads home for a couple of weeks rest. It was probably for the best as the funeral for Birdie Fowler was held a couple of days later. Charlie and the others had no desire to pay their respects to someone who had taken so much from them.

Charlie used the time to sort of the mess at home, spending every night sleeping in her car outside since the main building wasn't completely safe. She was relieved to hear that the estate's staff had escaped uninjured, although their quarters inside the ground were completely destroyed. The green ranger dipped into her personal accounts to put them up in hotels for a few nights but that couldn't last forever. There was the very real prospect that she would have to release all of them from their contracts. With the house uninhabitable and no one living there permanently, their jobs were obsolete.

Before she could do anything though, she would need to have control over the family accounts and since her parents were still alive that wasn't going to happen. She didn't even know which one of their overseas bolt holes they had disappeared to. All of their cell numbers went straight to voicemail and the private jet was sitting untouched at the nearby airport. Commander Myers assured her that they were safe but unlikely to return to the States for a long time. It was extremely likely they would see out their rest of their lives under SPD observation. If Charlie was honest with herself, they might've been better off in prison.

Sitting behind the desk of her father's study, Charlie ran her hands through her hair in frustration. She had spent the best part of the morning trying to access her father's laptop in an attempt to ascertain information about the family's accounts. Several hours of swearing, keyboard smacking and screen slapping followed before she swallowed her pride and dialled someone who could help, "Alright it's starting up", she said into her cell, "now it's asking if I want to enter safe mode".

" _Say yes",_ Bridge replied through the handset, _"this will bypass any security on the device but it won't show us the real juicy data"._

"Then what's the point?" Charlie snorted, "do you know how long I've spent sat here?"

" _Since it took you four attempts to log into your work laptop before calling IT to reset your password, I would three and a half hours"._

Charlie groaned under her breath, "Don't get smart with me aura boy".

"Perhaps I can be of assistance", a voice called out from the doorway. Charlie looked up and noticed Jefferson standing there with an envelope in his hand, "This just came by courier, its from your father".

"Gotta go Bridge", Charlie quickly terminated the call and slowly stood up, "Any idea where they're staying?"

"There's no post mark", Jefferson remarked, "and the courier wouldn't say where this was picked up from".

Curiously, Charlie took the envelope from Jefferson's hand and ripped it open. Inside were several CD's, a flash drive and a letter from her parents. She quickly scanned the letter, barely taking in the contents, "The standard apologies and platitudes", the green ranger suddenly froze when she read the final paragraph, "He's signed over control of the Estate to me", she said numbly before gently lowering herself back into the chair.

To say Charlie was shocked would be an understatement. Her family could trace its lineage back to the Revolutionary War and never in all those centuries had the head of the family signed over control pre mortem. She turned the letter over and written on the back were a list of her father's log ons and passwords, "He must really trust you Miss Charlotte", Jefferson commented.

"Or he knows that he won't be coming back", Charlie sighed, "thanks again Jefferson", she continued, "for everything you've done for my family".

"This sounds like the start of a dismissal Miss Charlotte", the old man frowned.

"More a sabbatical", Charlie replied, "my parents are gone and I'm not giving up my job with SPD so I won't be leaving Newtech City". She looked up to the crumbling ceiling, "Hell, if I turn a stereo up too loud the house might not be here". The man sighed and nodded numbly, "Once I've determined the cost of repairs and whether I can afford them, I'll think about what to do with the property but until then", she allowed her voice to trail off.

"I understand", Jefferson nodded, "I shall gather what I've been able to salvage and be on my way". He nodded stiffly, "A pleasure to serve you Miss Charlotte", the green ranger frowned at her full name, "my apologies, Charlie", with a final grin Jefferson dismissed himself and left the study.

With the log in details, Charlie soon loaded up her father's laptop and began the lengthy process of valuing her family's assets. The list seemed to go on and on, properties in Florida, California and on the planet Mirinoi, shares in numerous businesses, various bank accounts and finally other vested interests were all added together. Once she was done Charlie had to check the number again, there was no way this was correct. She knew her family was rich but this amount bordered on obscene, her family could probably afford to buy a moderately sized country or wipe out the debt of an entire continent.

For a few minutes Charlie merely stared at the screen, failing to comprehend that she was probably one of the richest people in the country. Once it had sunk in, her hands began to shake, "What the hell am I going to do with all this?" She leaned back in her chair, a few thoughts drifting through her head. A small smile formed as she picked up her cell phone and hit redial, "Hey Bridge, can you and the others come up to the estate tomorrow? I've got some news that will affect everyone".

The following morning a couple of cars pulled up outside the main entrance. Charlie was there to greet them dressed in a pair of battered old jeans and a baggy t shirt. Her hair was tied back and held in place with a green bandana, "Good of you to join me", she smiled and grabbed a couple of brooms off the ground, "I could do with some help cleaning this place up".

"You brought us here to clean?" Syd asked with disgust, "don't you have people to do that for you?"

"Cheer up princess", Charlie threw the broom at the pink ranger, "I'm going to make this worth your while". She turned around and walked towards the main door, "Follow me", even though she couldn't see, Charlie knew that B Squad were following close behind.

The green ranger led them through the battered property until they reached her father's study, "Don't slam the door", she called out to the group, I still don't know if that ceiling's safe or not".

"Good to know", Sky looked up nervously as he squeezed into the study. Charlie stood behind the desk with the other four members of B Squad spread out opposite her. Jack was also there despite not being an official member of B Squad anymore. Commander Myers had allowed him to keep the Omega Morpher but he knew, along with everyone else, that it didn't truly belong to him. Jack would stay on as a reserve member of SPD until Sam graduated the Academy and took his rightful place on the team.

"I haven't just asked you here to help me clean the place up", Charlie began, "yesterday I received a letter from my father giving me full control over the family finances".

There was a look of surprise from B Squad, each sharing a quizzical look with either other, "Dare we ask how much money you know control?" Jack asked, keeping a suspicious eye on the green ranger. There was still a small amount of distrust between the former red rangers that would probably never go away. In response Charlie merely turned around her laptop, "Holy crap", Jack whistled, "that's a lot of numbers".

"Many more than I know what to do with", Charlie sighed, "so I'm going to start by giving something back". She opened a drawer in the desk and pulled over four small envelopes. She handed one to Sky, Syd, Jack and finally Bridge, "It's my mother's fault that your parents suffered their accident in the lab and my father's for unintentionally financing the cover-up". She stood up a little straighter, "I hope this is a way of compensating for this".

The quartet opened their envelopes and pulled out a cheque, "Twenty thousand dollars?" Sky frowned, "Look if this a way of buying our silence or our friendship-"

Charlie looked affronted but Z quickly came to her rescue, "Seriously Sky how could you even ask that?" the yellow ranger snapped, "I'm sure that wasn't Charlie's intention, right?" she added, turned her sharp gaze towards the green ranger.

"Of course not", her wealth had always been a sensitive issue for Charlie but she had to put that aside for a moment, "think of this as an investment for your future". She looked towards Sky and Syd, "Your future together", next she moved onto a frowning Jack, "the future of your store", and finally to Bridge. She paused for a moment to think about something appropriate for the blue ranger, "And I dunno, the biggest mountain of toast you could possibly imagine".

"You know me so well", Bridge shrugged and smiled.

"My family damaged your past, don't let us damage your future", Charlie then stepped forward, gently taking Z by the hand, "I haven't done a cheque for you but that doesn't mean I've excluded you".

"Didn't think that you had", Z chewed on her lips, "but twenty thousand could be really useful right now".

Charlie was suddenly filled with nerves that she had to swallow before continuing, "I kinda hoped that you would help me manage the family together, just the two of us".

There was a nervous silence before Z answered, "If that was a proposal-".

"No", Charlie blurted out a little too quickly, bringing a small amount of hurt to Z's face, "not that I don't want to but I think it's a little too soon". A blush crept up her cheeks, "Now I've ruined the moment", she sighed.

"Oh I knew what you meant", Z smirked, "I couldn't resist teasing you though", she grinned.

Charlie gaped for a moment, "Why you lit-"the complaint was cut off by Z's lips firmly pressed against hers.

"So is that a yes?" Bridge asked the others.

"Guess so", Jack answered, "oi you two, do you have to do that here?"

Charlie reluctantly released Z and shot a piercing glare at the former red ranger, "Well since the upstairs bedrooms are off limits, which reminds me", she reached down and grabbed her own broom, "we should finish tidying this place up before the safety engineer arrives".

"Anything to avoid seeing you two suck face", Jack grumbled and quickly left the room.

The green ranger allowed herself one final kiss from her girlfriend before joining the rest of the team. It felt strange to think of herself as part of a team again but after several long months, her assignment was finally over. She could've returned to her old post or perhaps retired to the estate with her extortionate amount of money. However, as she watched the smiling, joking faces of B Squad only one word came to mind; Home. As long as Z stayed by her side and the team stayed together she would always have a home.

 **THE END**

 _ **A/N –**_ _Finally done, jeez that took longer than I originally planned. This isn't the last we've seen of B Squad, I do plan another story featuring the group. Firstly though I plan on writing the next part of the Hexagon series set during the "Once A Ranger" episodes. Ideas are still formulating in my head but it will probably be a different veteran ranger line up than in the TV episodes. Also I have no idea when I'll get around to writing it but I have a couple of weeks off work for Christmas to give me plenty of time to finalise ideas._

 _Until then I hope you enjoyed this story and thanks for reading._


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